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Parenting

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Original poster

Any tips for getting rid of the monsters under the bed?

37 replies

PedantMarina · 06/11/2013 16:48

DS (3.5) has had intermittent issues with sleep (when he was an infant), but has been fine for the past several months - we thought we'd cracked it.

However, in the last two weeks he's been clingy and (frankly) a PITA. We thought some of this coincided with school holidays and a lack of structure, but he's back at school (nursery) and it's just not getting better.

Only today he's told Daddy that he's afraid of the monsters under the bed. He doesn't know what they look like, because "they're not brightly coloured enough" to see well, but he can feel them!

So, any thoughts? I'm half-serious and half laughing.

OP posts:

Original poster

PedantMarina · 09/11/2013 19:37

Not really an "update", but DS got hold of the anti-monster spray earlier today and went nuts (we were unloading groceries and couldn't get to him until it was too late).

I'm still feeling it in the back of my throat.

And DP had a reeeaaalllly long nap this afternoon. Coincidence? I think not.

OP posts:

lljkk · 10/11/2013 08:41

We just read this book; it makes a funny joke of it, might be worth a read in the library see if it would suit.

Lavenderhoney · 10/11/2013 08:48

Ds occasionally had monsters under his bed. We did the spray, wish had thought of monster mummy calling:) and also as ds has many imaginary pets, such as 6 foot electric blue squirrel, we added a lion who slept in his room.

Plus a night light, and no scary stories, and staying til he fell asleep.

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Original poster

PedantMarina · 10/11/2013 15:23

A six-foot electric blue squirrel? And what native species is that wiping out, one wonders?

DS has nightlights aplenty, but I'm thinking that staying with him until he falls asleep might be needed for a couple of nights.

Friday he fell asleep in the car: we were doing a short errand, with a quick Aldi-shop on the way home. He opted not to come in and sounded tired, so stayed in the car with Daddy. By the time I got out, he was falling asleep in Daddy's arms (yeah, wouldn't do it on his own). So I just put him to bed with his pants and shirt.

Last night we did all the usual stuff, but he grumped that he didn't want to be alone. Daddy stayed with him for a bit, and then I did. I would have objected, but it was clear that he was already on his way out. it took only a couple of minutes for him to be asleep enough for me to leave.

Both nights dry, though!

We really didn't want to get into the sleeping-with-us thing, think it's a regression. But I'm unclenching, a bit.

OP posts:

CatWithKittens · 10/11/2013 18:03

We had this for a night or two. Do you have a dog? Our Airedale is not normally allowed upstairs (except to wake the children when Father Christmas has been) but we brought him up to sniff under the bed and told DD1 that he would have found any monster there was and that he would growl if there was a monster to catch but that he knew, and we knew, there was not and even if there really were monsters somewhere - and we had never seen them or heard of anybody who had rally seen them - no monster could get into the house without him catching it and eating it for his supper.

Original poster

PedantMarina · 10/11/2013 19:19

No, no woofie, catwithkittens, but we might get kitten(s) for Christmas - we've been meaning to for ages.

Tonight wasn't much about the monsters, he's keeping it simple: "I don't want to be in my bed" and more on that theme.

OP posts:

MikeWazowski · 10/11/2013 22:22

We had a similar monsters problem. A good friend suggested we watch Monsters Inc. I can honestly say it worked wonders, we haven't looked back since, hence my nn MikeWazowski! Good luck!

Hassled · 10/11/2013 22:24

Maggie and the Monster - it's a very old book, and one I could still recite off by heart even though youngest is at High School - but it really helped my DCs.

lifehasafunnywayofhelpinguout · 10/11/2013 23:04

I once read some advice that said "Don't look for monsters under the bed or in cupboards ect as it's like making out that they're real. xx

makingparentsrealise · 11/11/2013 08:19

Say to him the monsters are like big bullies they love attention so ignore them.

readysteady · 11/11/2013 08:27

Tell him that monsters are afraid if cats if you have kittens. It works in this house.

mistlethrush · 11/11/2013 08:40

I decided that, if there were nasty monsters, there must be friendly ones too. This started when DS was about 2ish. So.. I introduced DS to his friendly monster - who was, of course, invisible. His name (according to DS) was Freddie - and he had a friend called Jessie too - and both were spotty and stripy when you saw them but spent most of the time invisible - but they wouldn't allow nasty monsters in the house. The advantage of them was that they would travel too - they were good at taking up very little room in suitcases, and would sometimes come on walks too.

We had one walk where he was a bit scared at the potential for foxes to come and attack us (a friend's dog had been badly hurt by one and we visited with it still in its vet lampshade etc, lots of obvious stitches) and we walked along, me pushing the buggy, holding hands with DS who was holding hands (very obviously ) with Freddie. Apparently Jessie was holding 'Baby Jack's' hand (the only imaginary child / friend that he ever had).

Freddie and Jessie have stood us in good stead for 6 and a bit years so far! (and no sprays to get used excessively either)

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