Strollerderby

With my daughter if the subject of monsters comes up I suggest she draws a picture of the monster and then elaborate asking her to draw the monster's family. I'll ask her what monsters like to play or what their favorite dessert is. This way she can continue to use her imagination but the monster feels a bit less scary ... make sense?

This is tooooo funny! How cite. I love the fact that she can't really understand what is so funny about what she is saying. Or why her mother is laughing so much about the seriousness of having to kick some monster ass:)

nope.  I'm totally old school.  Just yesterday I was informed that monsters were tiptoeing up our stairs on a regular basis, so I said it was time to make some Monster Go Away spray.  Lavender scent + water + a cheap spray bottle later, little man was spraying under all the beds, in all the closets, in front of the doors and in the trashcans.  The spray was left on his dresser so he could grab it if some monsters somehow slipped in.  He woke up a happy kid.  "It worked, Mommy!  No monsters!"

BTW, this video landed the little girl a visit on the Ellen show.

My mom totally went the hippy, one-love route and told us to offer cookies to any monsters that may appear. She said that even creatures who look scary like to share a treat with a friend. It definitely worked, and I was never once scared of monsters (nor was my brother). I'm planning on using the same tactic- embracing and humanizing the gnashing beasts- but if it doesn't work I LOVE the monster spray idea.

My poor kids are stuck with the "There are no such things as monsters" approach. I am actually feeling kinda bad for my kiddos reading all your creative thoughts. My daughter has used monster spray before (it was actually a purchased product with a monster-be-gone label) at a friend's house and we laughed about it. I guess I am just not that creative...

I wouldn't pose the question of what would you do if a monster came out of the TV--after all, why invite scary fantasies?

I've suggested two responses to potentially scary things: definitely a "hi monster!  want to play?" sort of scenario (which I also do with bugs outside, as I didn't want to train Curious Girl to be scared of spiders and small bugs).  One of her stuffed animals has been designated the animal who stays up all night and watches over her, and that has generally soothed what might have been scary nighttime issues.  And sometimes she leaves notes for people (one for leprechauns before St. Patty's day, asking them not to mess up her stuff.)

Also, a great book: Natasha Wing's Go to Bed, Monster!  about a girl who draws a monster that comes to life.  Very funny, and very creative.