One night long ago, I was approaching an unlit room in an uncle's big house when, typical of Pinoy culture, my older cousins scared me, "there's a ghost in there, watch out!"My mother didn't think it was right, and asked them to stop immediately.
[caption id="attachment_8480" align="alignright" width="300"]
CJ in the dark[/caption]So far I haven't noticed signs in my son being afraid of the dark. We try to behave in it the same way we would in bright daylight. If someone scares him though, chances are high he will react accordingly. For the record I am strongly against teasing children into being unnecessarily scared of anything.
The trick I see reminds me of that nursing professor back in college, "you know class, it depends upon the orientation."
What was your experience with the dark while growing up? Any similarities with or differences from the way your kids now act toward it?
Chris hosts Mommy Moments
so true, some kids not scared of the dark until someone would start startling them or scares them. I have observed that sa mga anak ko,
ReplyDeletei am afraid in the dark until now . i make sure to sleep with one light on in the house .and if i'm alone in bed .hubby knows to turn on the bedroom light before he goes to work ,hehe .
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young, I experienced being afraid of the dark as well. That's because we lived in a very country and have to walk more than 2 kms. going home, with no electricity. So during evening hikes, there was always a sense of fear while we journeyed home. But I grew up believing in the Bible and what it tells us about ghosts and so it never became a reason for me to be afraid to go out in the dark. :)
ReplyDeleteHaze, ako din si Rarejonrez that you emailed about hosting! ;-)
Thanks sa visit sa blog ko! :)
I used to be afraid of a lot of things when I was young, and I guess that has a lot to do with my mom watching scary movies. I used to dream about those scary stuff, too. Now, that I'm a mom, I'm not letting my son watch movies. He actually doesn't know that ghosts are scary creatures. LOL! Your professor is right; it all depends on the orientation!
ReplyDeleteI must say that when I was young, I used to be afraid of the dark. I had a nasty experience where I woke up one night and wanted to go to the bathroom. My dad accompanied me but didn't open the lights. I don't know if it was my imagination but "I thought" I saw something moving in the dark. From then on, I never slept with lights out. I have since outgrown it now. But I rarely walk into any room without first switching the lights on :-)
ReplyDeletei wasnt afraid of the dark when i was a kid. and my kids aren't afraid of the dark either...especially when it is time to sleep :)
ReplyDeletei don't want in the dark either. i have this really playful mind that there might be something will surprise me there
ReplyDeletechildren tend to adopt the behavior adults usually fed on them. Same way, when we scold them, it's not appropriate for them to hear "NO" instead say direct on why and how to do it, its the best approach for kids logically saying. I'm afraid of the dark too, blame our elders :)
ReplyDeletei'm not afraid of the dark, lucky me my son is not afraid also. we can't sleep if the light is still on.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember myself being afraid of the dark when I was a kid. Our mom taught us to behave well when it's dark. Kapag brownout, the first thing she tells us is, "Walang gagalaw. Kukuha ako ng ilaw/kandila". Then pag may ilaw na, dun lang kami gagalw. We even enjoy it because we make different shapes out of our hands using the shadows. hehe.
ReplyDeleteI was never scared of the dark. I even try to write while in the dark! :P
ReplyDeleteThank goodness it's only writing you're trying out in the dark.
ReplyDeleteThis is true. I am afraid of the dark. Hindi ako nakakahinga that is why I have to relax. Mahilig kasi kami magtakutan nung bata kaya siguro ako naniniwala sa mga ganyan. Well, I haven't seen one pa naman. At ayaw ko din makakita. Hahahaha. :) Pero mahilig talaga ako manakot.
ReplyDeleteYung hindi ka makakahinga - I guess there's a scientific/medical explanation to that; whatever is the right term. Parang masaya naman kasi ang magtakutan kung minsan - just the right amount kumbaga, lol... and just like what my cousins might have intended when they tried to scare me.
ReplyDeleteNow that's a charming memory :)
ReplyDeleteganun din kami ng kiddo ko.
ReplyDeleteYeah... children learn what they live or is that the other way around? :)
ReplyDeletebetter stay away from wherever there's no light, right?
ReplyDeletei am also afraid in the dark lalo na malabo pa eyes ko, wala akong makita. one reason why i do not enjoy the night life even when i was a teen :(
ReplyDeleteWhen we're young our parents never indulge us to keep the lights on when going to sleep, I guess it made us more comfortable even if the lights are gone..Never believed in ghosts and spirits stuff.
ReplyDeletethat could have turned out an advantage for you.
ReplyDeleteAnother illustration for 'it-depends-upon-the-orientation' take. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI was afraid of the dark too, errr, I think even now. It's the fault of those that will tease you of ghosts. I don't want my baby to be like this.
ReplyDeletei have loads of experiences when I was small. I don't know if it was all a product of my vivid imaginations or it was real. But I'm still afraid of the dark... yeah, until now.. hehe..
ReplyDeletethis is one of my struggles :( until now, whenever I go to the comfort room, I'll ask my little sister to go with me (as in inside the CR). My pastor told me I have this very imaginative mind, but I should them positively.
ReplyDeleteI might be branded anti-norm or kj or whatever but I tell my kids the opposite - I would want AMAP to be truthful to them so they know that santa claus, ghosts and monsters don't exist so they grew up without fear of the dark or anything...and yes they don't expect santa to come knockin'. :)
ReplyDeletei'm glad i did not go through those teasing about darkness so I'm kind of brave and as reality shows, i am more afraid of bad people who are capable of harming anyone.
ReplyDeleteBeing in the dark is not a big deal for me because when I was young, I was taught with the Bible verse which says, "If God before us, who can be against us?" ^_^
ReplyDeletei like the way you are teaching your kid to be strong and not be afraid of meaningless things, keep it up!
ReplyDeleteMy son (7) is scared chicken on the dark and thunder and lightning. Poor kid. I hope he'll get over it though. On the contrary, my 3 year old daughter is indifferent to all that scary-nonsense business. Amazing how kids are so alike yet so different LoL. And you're right, it's definitely about the orientation!
ReplyDeleteI also feel scared once out in the dark-my mind starts to drift and sends pictures of different scary monsters,hehe power of my imagination,so I guess children will be more afraid...
ReplyDeletevisiting late for MM, new follower here too!