Mama is working late tonight and so I've got "Basilisk watch," meaning I'm the adult on the second floor whose imperative it is to ward off any Harry Potter-esque giant snakes that might come get the kids. Bud specifically is still very upset about the end of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and proves that he is just 6 1/2 by holding two completely contradictory notions in his head: the HP books are a work of fiction by J.K. Rowling, whose picture we have shown him, and the books are real and the snake is coming (even if this overlooks the fact that Harry killed the snake at the end). Mercy, I don't think he was this upset about Voldemort. But fears aren't rational so Mama and I have been taking turns being in the next room as they fall asleep. An easy solution.
And from the sawing next door, one that is working very well.
As a small boy, under 5, I saw a film which included sheet covered adults pretending to be ghosts. It stuck with me for many years, too many, so be prepared to be on watch for a long while. They might compromise with CCTV or a baby snake alarm. In fairness to my parents I have to add that I was not allowed to see 'Snow White' because it may have frightened me.
ReplyDeleteAwwww, this too shall pass. My daughter had some problems with nightmares while reading one of the Harry Potter books (can't remember which one) So we talked her into not reading it before bed and the nightmares stopped. I had a similar experience as Lambeth, my Grandmother let me watch the exorcist when I was 9, yes 9! She was the best Grandmother in the world but this time she was going with her heart and not her head. I wanted to watch it so she let me. It was months before I wasn't scared at night! I think Bud will surprise you and forget about the whole thing soon enough.
ReplyDeleteNever mind 'Exorcist', at age 16 or so I and some adults took about 20 boys camping in the Oxfordshire countryside, a wee village called Stoke Row, (see Google), this was 1945 just before Hiroshima and all these boys had been through bombing by doodle bugs, anti aircraft fire, aerial dog fights, bombing by common bombs and in two cases had been bombed out of their houses..tough kids. One night we took them out on a night hike, real dark stuff.You could smell the fear...whats that noise an owl and that...a badger...and that...a man burping from too much beer...and that rustling in the undergrowth...hedgehogs. They were pleased to reach the 'safety' of their tents. It is the fear of the unknown, he will come to terms with it and then go off to slay a dragon.
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