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

[lottieandmia]

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.

[headinhands]

Woo is an umbrella term for any belief which has no evidence.

[lottieandmia]

headinhands - I was referring more generally to a belief that God Does Not Exist.

[MrsCosmopilite]

Hadn't joined in as there was so much information/scorn/advice flying about.

People say we can't prove ghosts do exist, but we can't prove they don't. Not absolutely.

Many years ago people would have thought it was insane to say you could point an object at a box and see people singing/dancing/talking/moving about, but wireless technology and televisions provide just that.

I don't know that I'm particularly woo but I'd say that people sometimes have experiences that can't be easily explained (and sometimes can't be explained).

If you're now home, OP then perhaps you can just 'put out there' that you're now in your home, that this is the place where love and nurture are key. That you don't want unwelcome visitors, that you don't want your DD/DC's frightened, that you wish all those who are unsettled to find peace.

[lottieandmia]

The thing is, you can say that there is no evidence - but why is it that the first hand experiences of people are not considered as evidence and that everyone who experiences something odd or different must be in need of a section or have some other personality problem?

[mrsminiverscharlady]

Until somebody comes up with proof that God does it exist then it's a fact, not a belief.

[bootsycollins]

Are you home now lottie?. I'm probably in the minority here but using your situation at the holiday place as an example I would definitely accept it as a paranormal experience that your daughter has had. I hope that she's feeling much happier now your home, she must have been scared witless.

[CuttedUpPear]

If you look back at various 'woo' threads on here there are plenty of adults discussing occasions when they have seen something they believe to be a ghost or apparition of some kind, often when they were younger or sometimes in adulthood.

And they are adults. Who still have the courage of their convictions now.

I don't see anyone on those threads suggesting that these people get themselves to a doctor because of their mental health problems, or telling them that they are attention seeking.
The sightings are discussed with interest.

So why the heck are people saying such awful things about the OP's DC?

[LEMisdisappointed]

The way i see it, i only managed to read to page three is that this little girl is unsettled in a strange place, possibly tired due to doing lots of fun stuff and late nights and is imagining things. I wouldn't think it was any more than that and expect it to settle when you get home. If this were to continue, i would certainly be seeking medical advice.

I think it would very very wrong to give this any more significance than that.

[CoteDAzur]

"Awful things"

If my very own DD says she keeps seeing a transparent midget without a hat following her around, I would think she must be seeking attention. If after lots of quality time, her keeps saying the same thing, I would indeed take her to a specialist to be checked.

What would you do? Visualise stuff and tap the floor three times? (Heartfelt LOL at that, by the way )

[toucancancan]

Lottie, could you come back and tell us if the owners say other guests have had strange experiences while staying there?

[lottieandmia]

Yes we are home now. She seems happy and has been chatting with her friend on Skype so hopefully she'll forget about it now. I am certainly feeling better too about the whole thing.

[lottieandmia]

Toucan, yes of course I will try to find out. But do you think that the owner would want to publicise such a thing even if people did have stories of their own? As it might put people off renting it. And I'm not sure how to work out who was there before us iyswim.

[toucancancan]

Was anything mentioned in the visitors book written by previous guests? You may just be able to tell from the owners reaction whether other holiday makers have experienced the same, I guess it depends how open they are and what frame of mind they are in. Glad to hear dd is settled now you're home.

[AgentZigzag]

I don't think it'd put people off lottie, more like the owners would find themselves fully booked for the next three years.

A great gimmick pull for the punters.

[specialsubject]

the 'experiences' of people who see ghosts are not considered evidence because people imagine things, hallucinate or lie.

I would actually suggest that an adult who seriously believes that they are seeing ghosts DOES seek mental health help. Most of us will have hallucinations (aural or visual) at some time, those in full mental health know that it is dream or not real.

kids do not necessarily know how to tell the difference (monsters under the bed and all that) and need reassurance that it isn't real.

there are no such things as ghosts.

[bootsycollins]

lottie it would be really interesting to find out about the history of the building, I agree with zigzag business would be booming for them if they advertised as a haunted weekend place.

[lottieandmia]

People can lie about anything though tbh. It's up to you if you think people cannot trust their senses but you can't force your opinions on other people.

There is nothing at all in the guest book and I'm not sure how to go about finding out the history of the building but it may be worth looking into.

[headinhands]

lottie. It's not just up to people to decide if they an trust their sense. Tests have established numerous times that our senses can and do trick us with relative ease.

[Faverolles]

I haven't read the whole thread (I know, I know!) but I would ask the owners of the house to check for carbon monoxide.
I love a bit of woo as much as the next person, but I think on this occasion there is more likely to be a rational explanation.

[Faverolles]

Ok, read the thread now. I can't believe I'm the only one to suggest CO.
I think CO hallucinations can explain away many hauntings.

[toucancancan]

Faverolles, that's interesting. I've never heard carbon monoxide as an explanation for strange sightings before on any woo threads. What kind of effect could it have?

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Hope your DD is OK now you are at home.

[crossroadsdemon]

I live very near ilfracombe and being as right nosey so and so would love to know where you stayed..can you let me know?

[headinhands]

This test demonstrates one way our yes can deceive us

www.positscience.com/brain-resources/brain-teasers/rainbow-illusion

[lottieandmia]

I don't disagree that our eyes can deceive us sometimes, not at all.

crossroadsdemon - we stayed here