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Original poster

My dd is very upset by some paranormal thing 'following' her, please advise

172 replies

lottieandmia · 16/08/2013 22:41

We are on the last day of a holiday in Devon and dd2 has told me throughout the holiday she keeps seeing a see through figure which has a derby hat and a long coat but no face and keeps approaching her with red and yellow lights. if she moves, it moves in front of her.

I know this sounds crazy but she is really upset, not at all like this at home and my dm has seen the ghost of a little girl on this holiday too.

She does not want to go to bed. Is there anything I can do to stop her seeing it? She's 9. We are going home tomorrow so hope that will be the end of it.

OP posts:
CoteDAzur · 16/08/2013 23:30

Well, if I had to guess...

(1) She knows you believe this stuff and is vying for attention

or

(2) Schizophrenia or similar mental disorder that causes hallucinations/delusions

Original poster
lottieandmia · 16/08/2013 23:32

Cote - thanks for that helpful perspective Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
lottieandmia · 16/08/2013 23:36

She's a very well adjusted child who is normally skeptical about such things.

OP posts:
breatheslowly · 16/08/2013 23:37

I think I am saying the same as Cote.

lemontwist · 16/08/2013 23:37

Or maybe Cote just a child with an imagination who might actually be feeling a little scared. Surely at this stage suggesting MH issues is just a little OTT.

Original poster
lottieandmia · 16/08/2013 23:40

The schizophrenia post is just intended to be rude and unpleasant imo.

OP posts:
lemontwist · 16/08/2013 23:41

Agreed Lottie

CuttedUpPear · 16/08/2013 23:42

Sorry your DD is upset by this. I hope she can get through tonight ok.
Sorry also about Cote's post.

Original poster
lottieandmia · 16/08/2013 23:43

I know that not everyone believes in this stuff but I didn't post to get mean replies. I really hope it is just to do with her being overtired. Earlier in the holiday she drew a picture of what she thinks she sees. She's never spoken of anything like this before. Of course I am worried because this is out of character for her.

OP posts:
MrsCakesPremonition · 16/08/2013 23:43

That's a hard age to cope with this sort of thing - little enough to need you to take control of the situation but old enough not to let you get away with fobbing her off.
I hope she sleeps OK tonight with you, I agree she needs the reassurance. Do you think it would help to make it clear that she is sleeping with you because she is scared (like she might if she had a nightmare) not because there is anything real for her to be scared of.

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 16/08/2013 23:45

I had similar with my DD but she was younger. I am woo too Lottie but I had to minimize if for DDs sake. I felt that to discuss it as if it were real would only give it "power". When she wasn't around I told (them) to bugger off as they were scaring her. Try that when she's not about but when she talks about it, say that it's her imagination. Don't let her believe in it.

breatheslowly · 16/08/2013 23:45

She may not be doing it as cynically as Cote's post makes it sound, it may just be an imagination thing, but if you generally give the impression that woo exists, you shouldn't be surprised if your DD's imagination runs away a bit. Just like if my toddler DD asked me if monsters are real and I said "yes", I think she would be far more likely to "see monsters" than if I say "no, they're just pretend"

DioneTheDiabolist · 16/08/2013 23:46

Ffs Cote, seriously?Shock

OP, you are going home tomorrow. If your DD mentions it again, tell her that it can't follow her and she will be fine. In the meantime be the security and safety she needs tonight.Smile

Original poster
lottieandmia · 16/08/2013 23:47

Oh of course I have been making light of it to her - to do otherwise would be unfair.

OP posts:
CoteDAzur · 16/08/2013 23:48

No, my post wasn't rude nor unpleasant. Nor was it intended as such.

If this were my DD who is similar in age to yours, I would have thought of exactly the same things.

I would shower her with attention, spend lots of quality time together etc and see if she continues to talk about this "apparition" and I would take her to a doctor because hallucinations are not normal at any age.

Bluegrass · 16/08/2013 23:50

I think vivid imagination that needs comforting, but it staggers me that people find cote's suggestion offensive (well known medical issue that can cause hallucinations and whilst unfortunate is treatable) but will let pass suggestions that this is some sort if other worldly manifestation. Seriously, ffs! I know which one i find completely unhelpful and far far more disturbing.

BoozyBear · 16/08/2013 23:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CuttedUpPear · 16/08/2013 23:51

Actually it was both rude and unpleasant.

The OP needs support not suggestions that her child has MH issues.

DioneTheDiabolist · 16/08/2013 23:54

Not saying that it's otherworldly Bluegrass, just far more likely to be the imagination of a child away from home than manipulation or madness as Cote so unhelpfully and IMO rudely suggests.

CoteDAzur · 16/08/2013 23:54

Oh grow up.

CoteDAzur · 16/08/2013 23:56

"OP needs support" is your interpretation.

To me, thread title looks like a WWYD.

perplexedpirate · 16/08/2013 23:58

But she may have MH issues. She's seeing things ffs!
I think you should be thinking about taking her to the GP ASAP, OP, just to rule out anything serious.
Probably just an over active imagination, but surely better to be safe rather than sorry.

breatheslowly · 16/08/2013 23:58

You may well be making light of this to her now, but does she know that you generally believe in this stuff. To use the toddler analogy, that would be like saying "yes monsters exist" but when DD saw one saying "oh, no that one isn't real".

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 16/08/2013 23:59

cote LOTS of children see things...what they are I couldn't say but neither would I assume mental health issues with no indication of that at all in any other way.

Both of my children have "seen" all kinds of odd stuff. Imagine if ALL the parents whose child "saw" a thing or a ghost or a monster went running to see psychiatrists with them...there'd be all kinds of problems!

Bluegrass · 17/08/2013 00:00

Dione - other people have embraced "otherworldly" with alacrity! And I'm not sure it's quite pc to refer to schizophrenia as "madness" these days.

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