…petrifying.

While yes, it is true, kids are some of the scariest things in existence and can very often be more terrifying and monster-like than any other creature in imaginable, the fear caused by young, snot-filled, dirty children is not what this entry is about. This post is meant to be thought provoking on the subject of why kids are afraid of things that go bump in the night and when (or if) they grow out of this. Young children all seem to have common fears—the dark, a monster under their bed, a vicious creature in their closet at night. They also tend to go to their parents for help in these situations, asking them to check under the bed for The Bogeyman or to turn on a night light near their bed. A rather interesting question to ask ourselves is why don’t kids need to check under Mom and Dad’s bed for a monster lurking in the dark? A rather far-fetched scenario, I’ll admit, but still one with thinking about.

Is being frightened by monsters something children grow out of? or is it more so that adults are able to get used to the idea of a monster? While it is the job of a parent to ensure the safety of their child (even if it is from an imaginary beast), when do humans make the switch from being afraid of the monster to being the thing the monster is afraid of? Why are parents the child’s saving grace when they are frozen with the fear of an unlikely danger? Perhaps its just an act, because I personally believe no one would ever be able to grow out of being afraid of a monster. No matter the age, no one would ever be able to look a monster in the eye (let’s just go with the idea that there is such a thing) and say they weren’t even the slightest bit on edge. Being afraid is something which can only be repressed— not eliminated completely.