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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

3yr old terrified of rain

15 replies

Kitsilano · 14/04/2008 15:07

My dd who is just 3 is getting ridiculously frightened every time it rains. It used to just be rain the the night which bothered her and we would move her into the spare room which is quieter but now she screams and cries any time it rains at all.

Any ideas as to how I can handle it - other than move to a desert?

She has to get used to rain and I dont want to give her loads of attention when she freaks out as I think this could be part of the issue but equally I don't want to be cruel when she seems really scared. I have tried songs about rain, explaining why rain is good for things to grow etc, fun in pudlles and so on but it doesn't make any difference.

Oh and now it seems that "wind" is becoming an issue too. Is my child bonkers? What can I do???!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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mumfor1standmaybe2ndtime · 14/04/2008 15:10

Ds didn't used to like the hail, mainly because we got caught out in it one day while walikng home from playschool and we had no coat!
Has she had a bad experience with rain? Maybe thunder?

AbbeyA · 14/04/2008 15:11

Could you go out together and choose a really fun umbrella so that she wants to try it out?

avenanap · 14/04/2008 15:12

It could be the sound, try making a rain maker with her: a empty tube of pringles and some rice. If you have a shower you could be brave and let her wash her dolls in it.

thornrose · 14/04/2008 15:12

Oh my gosh, I'm not going to help but I am going to empathise. My dd 8 has the same fears (also of rain clouds!) which have come on very suddenly, perhaps because we've had a few very loud random claps of thunder lately too. We just walked back from the shop with her covering her eyes and being scared of the clouds. She has started looking at the weather on-line which I thought might help but is a greater hindrance. My dd has ASD so it's likely this fear will be replaced by something equally bizarre eventually!! I will watch this thread with interest.

Original poster

Kitsilano · 14/04/2008 18:05

Thanks for your thoughts. She isn't afraid of the shower (though used to be) and has a cute umbrella. Any thoughts as to whether I should ignore it/be stern and tell her to stop being silly/comfort her?

It actually makes me quite irritated I'm afraid.

OP posts:

AbbeyA · 14/04/2008 18:18

It is not a problem that I have had-I can see it is irritating, especially with April showers! I should just be very calm and matter of fact about it.
Could you take the umbrella in the shower?
Have you got a watering can? You could try pretend rain on a doll in the bath. There are fun books about rain-I am sure that one of the Alfie,Annie Rose ones has sploshing in puddles. I appreciate that you have tried games and songs so perhaps you have exhausted them.

luckylady74 · 14/04/2008 18:26

My ds1 has aspergers and had this fear last year. I got him a hat and repeatedly said he'd be fine in the rain with this hat on. I also went out in the rain at every opportunity and acted like a mad thing in an isn't this fun way. When he freaked out in the rain I just kept really calm and said 'you're ok' a lot! It will pass, but you're right - getting irritated just makes you feel worse! My ds1 now loves the rain and refuses to come inside - I never seem to have balance!!

Original poster

Kitsilano · 14/04/2008 19:26

It's good to know it will pass! I will certainly try going out in the rain myself and the rain on the doll thing - plus some more rain stories are a good idea.

I keep reading up on fears in toddlers - which I understand are normal - but rain is just SO unavoidable!

OP posts:

midnightexpress · 14/04/2008 19:29

don't move to Glasgow.

MegSophandEmma · 14/04/2008 19:38

Poor little girl I don't have a fear of rain but have a severe fear of wind. Which theboob (MNer) can vouch for. Enough so that I broke down infront of my fellow students in a science lesson not so long ago. Please don't ignore her fear and just cuddle her as much as possible when it rains and hopefully she will eventually grow out of it. Another suggestion is when in doors could you put on a childrens calming cd to block out the noise. My fear I belive has been triggered by dreams of tornados regually since I was a child which have gradually become more violent. So it could well be this that has caused her fear. unless she has had some incident with rain whilst awake.

Original poster

Kitsilano · 14/04/2008 21:32

Lol re move to Glasgow! I was thinking Egypt might be a better option.

MegSophandEmma - sorry about your wind fear. That must be difficult. She hasn't had any incident with rain that I am aware of. The cd is a good idea. How did your parents respond to your fear of wind when you were small? Would you class it as a phobia?

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MegSophandEmma · 14/04/2008 22:16

Belive it or notI didn't fear the wind as a child the dreams I had then were quite comical but since have become very violent which has slowly turned into very much a phobia. I can go out in the wind but its the noise when I am in a building that makes me feel sick my heart starts racing and am convinced the gusts of wind are going to cause structrle damage and in the prosess kill me. Gosh it feels so weird talking about it properly. Have invested recently in soume "bomb Blast" window film which has helped and also I play my babys white noise cd when it gets windy. So yes the CD is fab and if you can put it quite loud to take away the noise. You really need to comfort her physically when it happens. I Know with rain in this country it will be difficult on occasions but I have had to have my mother stay over when I have got really bad and she has stayed in my room with me . I am 28 by the way and an ex squaddie so goodness knows how scared your dd is bless her heart.

MegSophandEmma · 14/04/2008 22:17

Please excuse my grammar and punctuation

paddington99 · 14/04/2008 22:30

My son developed a fear of the toilet flushing when he was about 3. He was convinced the water would come over the top and flood. I think he saw the water levels rise in a loo once. A bit easier to control than rain - at least you know when it's coming! But it did pass within a couple of months. I managed it by lots of reassurance and repeating again and again that nothing bad had happened after the flush - everything was still OK.

As a baby, he was also terrified of the shower - loved the swimming pool but screamed blue murder if you took him in the shower. Again, one day he just decided it was OK, and is fine now (aged 5).

Avoidance of fearful situations is how phobias grow - and as you say, you can't avoid rain. Good luck! I'm sure you'll get past this.

Original poster

Kitsilano · 14/04/2008 22:33

Poor you that sounds dreadful. I really don't want this to develop in my dd which is why I am concerned to approach it in the right way.

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