spirit in my house frightening my DD...

[hollowhallows]

I have NC for this.

OK, I know some people are going to think I am a crank, but here goes...

I have been aware of a spirit/s in my house since I moved in. In my family we are thought to have 'the sight' and it has been very real to me from the experiences I had growing up and experiences I continue to have. I'm not talking miracles or talking to the other side, just an ability to sense what others cannot, such as aura and spirits etc...

Because I was aware of spirits myself as a child from my own experiences, I was always aware that my children could experience the same thing. I have dealt with having 'the sight' (I don't know what else to call it, I know 'the sight' sounds cheesy) and as I have grown older it has bothered me less and I fear the things I sense a lot less. I hope this is all making sense, I usually keep this to myself

Well now my DD has started to very obviously see something that is frightening her. It is starting to become more frequent and is really upsetting her. It is always in the same place in the lounge and she runs over to me upset, crying and pointing towards whatever it is she can see. She tries to tell me but her speech isn't good enough yet, but her actions and feelings are very clear. Tonight she was so upset by whatever it was that she started crying and covering her eyes so she couldn't see it. I tried to encourage her to show me what it was that was upsetting her in case it wasn't what I thought, but she refuses to even venture to that side of the lounge when this happens. This has been going on for about 6 months but is now becoming more obvious.

I am not religious, I am not overly superstitious, but this is the one thing I genuinely believe in because I have experienced it myself. I have read stories by other MN's about their children telling them they had seen peculiar things so I'm hoping to get some input on how to handle this (and not be mocked in the process). When I sense something myself, I just ignore it. I'm not sure how to handle my DD possibly seeing things that are upsetting her.

[lottieandmia]

Well technodad I think I'm correct in saying nobody on this thread has gone out of their way to seek you out and say 'god bless you' see what I mean?

[munchkinmaster]

So back to the OP.

Clearly this situation is unsettling to you. Whatever is spooking your child, your reaction teaches them how they ought to react. So if you are distressed or even uncomfortable around that area (as you are concerned about your child) they will follow your lead. In addition lots of concerned questions will also exacerbate things esp if child doesn't really have the language to explain themselves.

It seems to me and others that you have to teach your child this corner is safe. This should work whether it's a green spot, shadows, baby monitor light or a supernatural issue.

A few people have said this and I agree.

[technodad]

Lottie

Read the thread. The OP asked for advice. I have advice. It was other posters who made ridiculous claims that I have reached to.

If you can't be bothered to read the thread to understands the context of my posts, don't bother replying.

[DioneTheDiabolist]

No your not Techno, your original analogy was about a religious friend commenting about religiosity in their life. Not applying it to you.

[lottieandmia]

I have read your posts and I do understand the context.

[lottieandmia]

'If a close friend told me they were christening their child, I might challenge them about whether they should wait until their child can make their own choice.'

If anyone said this to me I'd tell them to mind their own bloody business! What makes you think you can challenge people on personal choices about their child? Where does this arrogance come from?

[lottieandmia]

And to be clear I'm not aiming my last comment at anyone specifically as it seems to me that quite a few atheists that I have come across, (and there are quite a few both on here and in RL) seem to feel it's their mission to belittle the opinions of anyone who has a belief system which differs from theirs. Why is it so important that everyone must think like them that's what I want to know?

[technodad]

If they don't like me, they don't have to be my friend!

Why can't friends challenge each other's views? It makes life interesting.

[VoodooHexDoll]

Do you have many friends Technodad?

Its about respecting the right of the other person to believe in whatever they want to without being belittled for it.

[technodad]

How many is "many"? 5? 100?

Do you think I would write the last post if I had no mates?

I know I can trust my friends to be honest with me and tell me what they really think. It is nice.

[VoodooHexDoll]

Trust is a leap of faith so is believeing in more than what we can see. You cant see it or feel it but you know it is there and unless you have experianced it you would have no idea about it.

[VoodooHexDoll]

Its good to challenge ideas but sometimes people just want to be left alone to believe what they want to. We dont have to defiened ourself or our path.

[technodad]

You are right Voodo, I had never thought about it like that. There must be a god! Ahem.

[Mummyoftheyear]

Feeling spooked out just by reading this.

[VoodooHexDoll]

Yes there is a God and she is great and powerful

[VoodooHexDoll]

There may even be more than One.

[myroomisatip]

See, this is what I meant.... the thread is now a debate and has nothing to do with the OP's original post!

People reach their own conclusions based on many different experiences.

It may be that some people are more observant of some things than others are, just because something occurs but is not observed, does not mean it does not happen. IYSWIM....?

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Leaving debate aside, was actually coming to post something similar to DobbiesMum (although I am not a pagan).

I think when there is negative energy associated with a place, (not necessarily woo! Just negative for whatever reason) it can help to give the room a good spring clean. Fling open windows on a sunny day, put on some nice cheerful music and dust, polish, Hoover, mop etc. Dobby's idea of putting in a big bunch of flowers is great.

Then I would imagine a big net made up of strands of light, and visualise passing the house through the net. You have to concentrate and 'see' it really clearly. I'd pass the house through the net about three times.

[DioneTheDiabolist]

I agree Myroom.

People come here looking for support and advice and the thread gets derailed (mostly by evangelical atheists) and turned into a debate.

Its a bit like going onto the Relationships section to ask advice on a DP or DC issue and having your problem turned into a feminist debate. Every time.

I'm also saddened at the amount of regulars who feel they have to name change when they post here because they know they will be flamed for not having an agnostic/athiestic stance.

[PatoBanton]

I think there may be some mixing up of religious belief and other sorts of belief.

Generally imo religious belief is a belief in a doctrine that guides your life choices and way of living

believing in an afterlife can be part of this, believing in ghosts etc can run alongside this but it doesn't form a religion.

And thus I don't think it is religious discrimination to suggest that there may be other explanations for phenomena than those of a supernatural nature.

My earlier 'ffs' or whatever it was I wrote was to do with what I thought was someone starting a hallowe'en thread to wind people up. I think if people believe in the supernatural then that's fine for them, and I'll tend to keep away, because I don't think I do believe in it.

But if people are encouraging fear of spirits etc in their posts, I might say something. Some people are really not helpful in their approach to this sort of issue.

[curlew]

I am genuinely concerned that a person might be putting a child's distress down to "spirits" and might be, consciously, or unconsciously, encouraging such thoughts in a child. And I think it's entirely appropriate to suggest alternatives.

As an analogy, I am likely to post on a thread where somebody puts their child's illness down to allergies without seeking professional advice. Or any other thread where people don't appear to have eliminated the simple explanations before they go to the complicated. Or in this case, the supernatural. At the core of the thread is a distressed child. Who is more important than the sensibilities of grown ups.

[LondonNinja]

Oh the irony of people dissing belief in spirits/the paranormal when they are accepting of people's religious beliefs, which allow angels, Holy Spirit and the devil...

To the poster who said parents don't have the right to impose their beliefs on their kids, er, good luck with that one! Everything from homophobia, racism, political stance, vegetarianism and, yes, religion, is 'imposed' on children by parents.

OP, I hope this situation abates for you, must be scary. The idea of putting bright flowers out is lovely. Also, keep strong in your mind.

[PatoBanton]

LondonNinja - you have possibly misunderstood.

I don't hold with a lot of Religious beliefs either but I understand that they are what a lot of people base their lives around.

Belief in the supernatural does not, imo, hold that sort of weight in terms of the respect and deference it necessitates.

I hope that makes sense.

[ssd]

I don't understand the people who come onto threads like these to dismiss and ridicule posters who believe in this, I mean if its not for you why click on the thread?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

Curlew, if the OP was concerned about her child's illness, I would agree with you. But her child isn't ill. She is frightened and the OP is asking for ways to alleviate the fear.

Your advice may well be to tell the child not to worry because there is nothing there. Maybe that will work, or maybe it won't, in which case she needs to
try something else. Other parents have found that sprinkling glitter, telling it firmly to go or saying a poem or prayer works.

You and Techno seem to want the OP to pander to your philosophical sensibilities rather than deal with her DD's fears.