Helpful suggestions for dealing with an apparent night time visitor to my little boy

Had an unusual experience on friday morning with son. It was about 3 am in the morning when he came diving into bed with me. When I say diving I mean I looked up and all I see his little body flying over the top of mine. I assumed he was just getting in bed with me as is pretty normal.

So I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep, bout 5 mins later I opened them and looked at him. He has the covers pulled up tight around his chin and he is pointing. I look over in the direction in which he is pointing which was up in the corner I can't see anything. I asked him what he was doing and he didn't answer. Just kept pointing. So I asked him if he saw something and he said "Yes".

When I asked him what it w as he whispered. I could barely hear it and didn't understand what he said. I tried for a good 5 minutes to get him to say it louder and he wouldn't he just kept pointing up in the corner. So I got up and turned on the lights picked him up and walked over to were he was pointing so he could see there was there nothing there. He seemed fine so I turned off the lights and got back in bed. As soon as the lights were off and he was settled in he started pointing again. Again I looked and couldn't see anything. He was insistent that there was something or some one there. He kept whispering something I couldn't understand. This continued for the next 2 hrs until he finally fell asleep at 5 am. Anyone else experienced something like this with a toddler? If so do have any suggestions?

From my experience, kids just get scared sometimes. Did he watch any scary movies, hear any scary stories, or anything of the sort? Sometimes, it can translate to reality and kids think its truly real. I hope he is able to overcome these fears.

When I was scared, my dad told me it's not real and to deal with it. I turned out fine!

Couple questions come to mind.... The corner he was pointing at? In darkness, is it clear to see or is it in cross/complex shadows? I.E., is there anything visual about that where a small mind already freaked over a bad dream or something else..could project things into the scene? Also.. was he pointing ground level or ceiling?

I've had a few nights with my own Son where he's sworn he's seen things. In truth, he may very well have too...but that sure isn't what I've told him. It'd just compound the problem for days. lol... He's 12 now and it's been several years but simply talking him down seemed to work well and not being dismissive ...while not feeding it either.

I figured then that being totally dismissive would kill any help I wanted to give. He'd just have concluded he could see it, I couldn't, and get even more scared. BTW.. A couple he was clear in what he thought he saw..and it's impossible. Child night terrors... a couple? Hmm... I assume you didn't feel anything the least bit off?

No scary movies. Its strictly Thomas the tank engine movies here. I've never seen him do this before. I asked his mother if he ever did anything like this at her house and she said no.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Couple questions come to mind.... The corner he was pointing at? In darkness, is it clear to see or is it in cross/complex shadows? I.E., is there anything visual about that where a small mind already freaked over a bad dream or something else..could project things into the scene? Also.. was he pointing ground level or ceiling?

I've had a few nights with my own Son where he's sworn he's seen things. In truth, he may very well have too...but that sure isn't what I've told him. It'd just compound the problem for days. lol... He's 12 now and it's been several years but simply talking him down seemed to work well and not being dismissive ...while not feeding it either.

I figured then that being totally dismissive would kill any help I wanted to give. He'd just have concluded he could see it, I couldn't, and get even more scared. BTW.. A couple he was clear in what he thought he saw..and it's impossible. Child night terrors... a couple? Hmm... I assume you didn't feel anything the least bit off?

its the corner were the ceiling meets the wall. In the darkness I can't make anything out at all. Nothing visually stimulating there. He was pointing right were the wall joins the ceiling. It was disconcerting to see him pointing and staring and I'll admit my stomach did do a flipflop seeing that and not understanding what he was whispering, Other then that I did notice the air was colder in that area.

reply to post by w810i

Well, heck.. No point speculating much more without just asking you this straight out and without playing about it. Do you believe in your gut, not logic, that something could have been there or do you think he was projecting his own fears into the darkness? You're the Dad and I know that's a question only I would be able to answer with my own Son.

In his case, I was never actually there, in real time, as he saw something. Only heard after the fact. It would be all together different to have the added side of seeing his face and eyes over a period of time he saw something happening?

And the next time your boy points at that spot, take a gun and just SHOOT.
That's what an American should do, I suppose.

Originally posted by w810i
Had an unusual experience on friday morning with son. It was about 3 am in the morning when he came diving into bed with me. When I say diving I mean I looked up and all I see his little body flying over the top of mine. I assumed he was just getting in bed with me as is pretty normal.

So I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep, bout 5 mins later I opened them and looked at him. He has the covers pulled up tight around his chin and he is pointing. I look over in the direction in which he is pointing which was up in the corner I can't see anything. I asked him what he was doing and he didn't answer. Just kept pointing. So I asked him if he saw something and he said "Yes".

When I asked him what it w as he whispered. I could barely hear it and didn't understand what he said. I tried for a good 5 minutes to get him to say it louder and he wouldn't he just kept pointing up in the corner. So I got up and turned on the lights picked him up and walked over to were he was pointing so he could see there was there nothing there. He seemed fine so I turned off the lights and got back in bed. As soon as the lights were off and he was settled in he started pointing again. Again I looked and couldn't see anything. He was insistent that there was something or some one there. He kept whispering something I couldn't understand. This continued for the next 2 hrs until he finally fell asleep at 5 am. Anyone else experienced something like this with a toddler? If so do have any suggestions?

Couple of things you might ask yourself is this seemed to happen in two different rooms because he came running into your room than again when he was with you in your room he was pointing at something again .. am i correct with this??? If so did something follow him in your room (something) like a spirit ? Spirits can be seen by the little ones so I have been told in your gut what is it telling you?

Um, did you ask him what he saw while the lights were on?

Then suggest you put a night light on, and see if the vision goes away.

Have asked him what he saw that night since then, like the next day?

reply to post by w810i


I'm just going to chime in and ask if your boy may be in a form of sleep state and you may not realize it? Just a thought as my son had done same thing many years ago, even the pointing into corner of room. I got the feeling he was in a type of night terror in which the child actually can have open eyes and seem totally awake by responding to you.

When my son would respond to me in this state, it would be unintelligible. Somehow I could tell he thought he was making sense and would sometimes become irate with me for not being able to decode his strange speech. Or possibly he was speaking some unknown language from his night travels

He is a grown man now but is still quite the sleepwalker/talker at times. Most of the time sleep state is apparent but sometimes you misinterpret the person as being awake when they are not and it has caused me apprehension about supernatural causes as well. I'm sure you hope it doesn't happen again but it would be interesting to know what your son is saying.

Talk him down is a good suggestion. Also asking him if whatever he can see is hurting him. I never dismiss these things out of hand but then I have seen a ghost first hand.

By getting him to realize that he may be seeing something that is not harming him you can start the conversation to explain that what we do not understand will not necessarily hurt us. It is a conversation that all parents should have with children at some stage. Children need to get out of the stage where something new or a new experience is not always equated with danger.

Ah, a spider, kill it! Ask why do you want to kill it. Why be frightened of something you do not understand.

P

Well, if he is convinced the Boogeyman is real, you need to make him feel like he is in control. Maybe have him place some traps(like Mouse traps) in what he feels are likely spots. Maybe buy him a toy"Magical" Battle Axe to slay the beast and inform him that he will become a hero if he does so. Its like any other fear, you have to gain control.

For example, when I was a little kid I saw a Vampire movie and when I went to bed they were everywhere waiting to get me and chasing me in my dreams. My brother and I eventually made wooden stakes to defend ourselves just in case. Not long after that I had a dream in which I met some friendly Vampires and killed them all. After that I was afraid anymore.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
reply to post by w810i

 

Well, heck.. No point speculating much more without just asking you this straight out and without playing about it. Do you believe in your gut, not logic, that something could have been there or do you think he was projecting his own fears into the darkness? You're the Dad and I know that's a question only I would be able to answer with my own Son.

In his case, I was never actually there, in real time, as he saw something. Only heard after the fact. It would be all together different to have the added side of seeing his face and eyes over a period of time he saw something happening?

I think there is a highly likely chance he saw something. For him to do that is completely out of character for him.

Originally posted by trinityalways

Couple of things you might ask yourself is this seemed to happen in two different rooms because he came running into your room than again when he was with you in your room he was pointing at something again .. am i correct with this??? If so did something follow him in your room (something) like a spirit ? Spirits can be seen by the little ones so I have been told in your gut what is it telling you?

When I have him he usually sacks out in my room. so this took place in my bedroom the entire time.

Originally posted by poet1b

Um, did you ask him what he saw while the lights were on?

Then suggest you put a night light on, and see if the vision goes away.

Have asked him what he saw that night since then, like the next day?

I picked him up and we walked over to the corner were he was pointing and I showed him there was nothing there with the lights on. I do have a nightlight in my room for this exact reason

Originally posted by w810i

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Couple questions come to mind.... The corner he was pointing at? In darkness, is it clear to see or is it in cross/complex shadows? I.E., is there anything visual about that where a small mind already freaked over a bad dream or something else..could project things into the scene? Also.. was he pointing ground level or ceiling?

I've had a few nights with my own Son where he's sworn he's seen things. In truth, he may very well have too...but that sure isn't what I've told him. It'd just compound the problem for days. lol... He's 12 now and it's been several years but simply talking him down seemed to work well and not being dismissive ...while not feeding it either.

I figured then that being totally dismissive would kill any help I wanted to give. He'd just have concluded he could see it, I couldn't, and get even more scared. BTW.. A couple he was clear in what he thought he saw..and it's impossible. Child night terrors... a couple? Hmm... I assume you didn't feel anything the least bit off?

its the corner were the ceiling meets the wall. In the darkness I can't make anything out at all. Nothing visually stimulating there. He was pointing right were the wall joins the ceiling. It was disconcerting to see him pointing and staring and I'll admit my stomach did do a flipflop seeing that and not understanding what he was whispering, Other then that I did notice the air was colder in that area.

edit on 30-12-2012 by w810i because: (no reason given)

My cat some times freezes in place and starts staring at one spot intensely and it freaks me out. There is never anything that I can see where it looks. It's said that animals and young children have a better ability to see so called "paranormal" entities. Not saying that's what it is, but it's one explanation.

Originally posted by pheonix358
Talk him down is a good suggestion. Also asking him if whatever he can see is hurting him. I never dismiss these things out of hand but then I have seen a ghost first hand.

By getting him to realize that he may be seeing something that is not harming him you can start the conversation to explain that what we do not understand will not necessarily hurt us. It is a conversation that all parents should have with children at some stage. Children need to get out of the stage where something new or a new experience is not always equated with danger.

Ah, a spider, kill it! Ask why do you want to kill it. Why be frightened of something you do not understand.

P

I talked to him about it. Asked him if he could see something. he said yes. I asked him what it was he whispered something I couldn't understand. Which was the weird thing. All his other answers were in a normal speaking voice except for that. I asked him if it was a person he said yes, followed by the unintelligible whisper. I asked him if he was scared he said no then went back to pointing.

I would put a night light in his room and see if he still noticed anything.

If not problem solved. If he is still nervous, you could tell him he has a guardian angel watching out for him, not that his guardian will protect him from anything stupid he does, but maybe from anything you can't see. My free advice. I'm not an expert on kids but I was one once.

Originally posted by anton74
Well, if he is convinced the Boogeyman is real, you need to make him feel like he is in control. Maybe have him place some traps(like Mouse traps) in what he feels are likely spots. Maybe buy him a toy"Magical" Battle Axe to slay the beast and inform him that he will become a hero if he does so. Its like any other fear, you have to gain control.

For example, when I was a little kid I saw a Vampire movie and when I went to bed they were everywhere waiting to get me and chasing me in my dreams. My brother and I eventually made wooden stakes to defend ourselves just in case. Not long after that I had a dream in which I met some friendly Vampires and killed them all. After that I was afraid anymore.

Thank you for the suggestions

reply to post by w810i


Here's a suggestion. Try a different strategy for being a good parent besides posting questions about alleged night time visitors on ATS.

You're a parent. You have a little boy. You seriously think you're going to find an accurate answer here for what you son was frightened by?

Wtf...