Fear of balloons

[CJBH]

My DS (3) is terrified of balloons and this makes parties and fun days (which should be a treat) no fun whatsoever for him. In fact he dreads going to parties and will obsess about the fact that there will be balloons there for days beforehand.

I don't know how best to deal with it. Any suggestions?

Ask the family to tie them really high up???

A friend of mine has had a fear of balloons all her life because a balloon burst in front of her when she was young. Did this happen to your ds? Could be that you need to introduce them to him in a "non party" situation to let him get used to them. Or reassure him that its OK when a balloon bursts.

OH you have my sympathy! DD is 9 and still terrified. It started when she was young, for no reason that we know, except a friends Ds was scared and had a screaming fit one day at a deflated one. We can't take her anywhere where she thinks there might be some. A few years ago I bought balloons and blew them up and made her pop them with a pin . She was able to do this . I think now the fear is that she knows they might pop and make her jump. Same way that she's scared of dogs, because they could bark and make her jump. It seems to be a fear of the known rather than the unknown.
Sorry I've just read this through and realised I've been no help at all

Hmm,seems everyone I speak to tells the same story - its not something you get over, just most adults with the fear deal with it better than children are able to.

Balloons used to freak me out but having DD think it is hysterical has curbed the aversion a tad. I still don't want it near my face and really don't want it to burst mere inches from me.

So, I must agree that it is not something that you grow out of but more learn to cope with. I would buy one of those pumps and a few dozen balloons and give control back to your DS. Let him help blow them up and then let him choose which one he wants you to pop, if he is up to it maybe he you could swap roles.

Slightly out there but it might just work!