Monsters

What do you tell a three yr old or a four yr old about monsters? I don't introduce the concept of monsters to a child, that is usually not necessary, they already have a firm belief in them as an explanation for all the strange noises they hear at night. Also sometimes grown ups stupidly mention them as a real threat to enforce obedience. Terry Pratchett kind of gave me a clue as to how to help little kids deal with monsters and that is to give them the means to fight the monsters. When I was looking after a four yr old in Campbelltown, he came into my room most nights for a few weeks complaining of scary dreams. He didn't seem upset though so I let him lay down in my bed for a few minutes then took him back to his bed. One day I asked him about his scary dreams and if they had monsters, he said yes they were monsters. I said that the best way to get rid of monsters was to hide under the blanket and ask Jesus to take them away and to keep him safe. Jesus is heaps stronger and braver then the monsters. He was only allowed to come and wake me up IF the scary dream made him cry.

This year, the three yr old girl woke up at 3am crying so I went in to help. She had her light on and I asked her if she had a scary dream and she said that the monsters were coming in the window and she didn't want to sleep in her bed any more. "I want to sleep in your bed" I said there wasn't enough room in my bed but mummy had lots of room and I took her to her mothers bedroom. The next day I told her some strategies to fight monsters, one was the blanket one, monsters can't see you if you hide under the blanket, also turning on the light scares them away, also laughing at them makes them feel silly and they run away (I got that one from Harry Potter). I told her all this in secret in the car when nobody else could hear, that means it was valuable information and would definitely work. She hasn't had a nightmare since that I know of, though obviously I would go and help if she did have one.

Today we battled monsters and hid under my blanket with her babies. We curled up in chairs together and she made brave little expeditions, dodging the monsters, to collect/rescue various items. When the boys joined in the game we also fought them to scare them away.