My daughter is really scared of fireworks, WWYD

[thestringcheeseincident]

So it's coming up to fireworks season again and last year was awful. Poor DD (5) was constantly having panic attacks in the evening and running around crying. Always they go off at about her bed time for about a week so it's very unsettling for everyone.
This year I'm determined to be more prepared. I've got her ear mufflers (and a friend suggested to play her story books through ear phones as well), but I was wondering about giving her some piriton early evening during the busy cracker week. If she could get to sleep before they start, she will more than likely sleep through it. Would that be ok? would piriton be best, she's had before for C Pox. Or something like medised.

Sigh, I hate bloody fireworks.

Hmm, I'm not a great believer in drugging kids to get them to sleep but I can see the idea has some merit.

She is a year older though, so she might handle things better this year. I think I'd get ear muffs on and then arrange for her to watch out for them out of a bedroom window with you by her side. A slow introduction if you like. If she's nice and cozy inside the house, perhaps with a mug of hot (warm!) chocolate as a fireworks treat, she will probably accept them much better.

Thanks Doodlez, I'm not keen on giving out the drugs either, but it's so hard watching her freak out. When she gets in a state she not's rational at all. So it's hard to get her to even sit down.
I will try the hot chocolate though, she does like tea.

Last year I got both my DDs (5 & 4 now) proper ear protectors as they were completely freaked out by fireworks, DD1 especially so. It was great; they actually went out and watched two shows. In the first one DD1 was a little tense but by the second even she was enjoying it. The ear protectors I got from a hardware store and they are bright pink which appeals to them.

They are actually looking forward to the fireworks this year. I'm hoping that next year they may even be brave enough to watch without the pink ears!

Ds has these ear defenders for use at fireworks displays, and at really noisy things I add ear plugs underneath. Just having them around makes him calmer about loud noises.

I wouldn't give her piriton/medised - if she's not a very heavy sleeper she'll wake up and be even more distressed

Thanks both, we've got those ear defenders Cmot. She does really like them.
I just feel so helpless whilst she flails around.

Dd3 was like this from about 2. We would spend the evenings with the TV on loud and then she would go to bed listening to story tapes through headphones until she was sound asleep.

How about playing lots of noisy games? Like snap, or a singing game, or something else? Sorry, I can't think of any five-year-old friendly games at the moment, other than snap!

I don't like firework either.

Thanks Lizzy, the problem is once she hears the first one the panic sets in.

I like your noisy idea Hocus, we do that at the minute with thunderstorms and the like.

I think I'm going to give her some piriton and let her fall asleep on the sofa with her mufflers on. Then I'm going to drink bucket loads of gin.