[HPforGrownups] Night fears from Harry Potter

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 4356

Peg Kerr wrote:

> But I was wondering . . . how about you other parents out there who have
> read Harry Potter to your kids.  Have you encountered any night fears
> due to the books?  How have you handled them?

I haven't had fears due to the books, and my daughter's a bit younger than
yours, but our most effective way to handle night fears has been simple so
far. We have a quarterly exterminator, and I have in the past had her tell
him what to spray for besides the scorpions and spiders (skeletons, ghosts,
bad guys, etc.). She knows that when he sprays for bugs, it kills
them--she's seen the dead bugs. So she knows the other stuff either won't
come in or won't be there long. The exterminator man is a gem who listens
very seriously and tells her, "I'll take care of it, ma'am."

In the absence of an exterminator (or between visits), I get an empty can of
something, hairspray or such, and put a label on it. It's monster (or
whatever) repellent. Because my daughter knows that when we put waterproof
spray on stuff, the water doesn't get in. So I let her spray around the
doors and windows and wherever else, and she knows the monsters (or
whatever) can't get in.

Your daughter might be too old for this. But maybe not, because the things
that seem silliest in the daytime (like your blanket will stop anything
coming at you, so you duck under it) are absolute bastions at night. It's an
idea...?

--Amanda