Is your child scared of thunderstorms?

mamarazzi · September 2010

How do you deal with it?

DS1 is scared sh!tless of thunderstorms. Even just gentle rain freaks him out, but thunder makes him lose his mind. He was crying so hard tonight and shaking and it was a pretty mild storm.

I've tried explaining it to him and telling him there's nothing to be scared of and it's just the clouds bumping into each other and watering the grass, but there's really no reasoning with him when he's that freaked.

Any suggestions that worked for you?

shopgirl78 · September 2010

DS1 is. He usually hides under his blanket (his love-y) and cuddles close to me. It's very sweet. I also let him sleep with me. I tell him its loud but it will not get him. The last time it thundered, he actually went outside and asked to see it. I explained thunder is just a sound that comes after lightening.

ilovemygirls · September 2010

Neither of mine have been afraid, but we've always talked up how super cool and awesome they are. We'd watch them & ooh & aah like we do with fireworks & the kids just followed that & they get excited when a storm comes up. I'm not saying neither are scared solely because we did that, but just offering up a suggestion to see if that would help. Maybe have a "party" when there's a storm? Get out the treats, etc. Hope something helps- that would be heartbreaking to watch!

Rebekah1021 · September 2010

DD used to be afraid of storms. I'm not really sure what happened for her not to be afraid, but DH and I always enjoy watching them so we would usually sit and watch as a family and she watches with us.

At night it works out well that her room is in the front of the house and most of the weather and wind hit the house from behind, so she doesn't hear it.

EMT · September 2010

We don't have them often enough for them to be afraid.

I'm sorry L was so upset!

true_norskie · September 2010

We've had more severe weather than typical this summer, so the thunderstorms often came with storm sirens, strong winds and loud thunder--along with a few trips to the basement to ride out the dangerous part of the storm.

So I can see why my oldest is freaked out by it. We explain that there's nothing to be afraid of with the thunder, it is just loud and that if we have to go to the basement it is just to be safe.

However, anytime the sirens go off (even just for the monthly testing), she gets extremely nervous (tears and shaking). And last night I slept in her bed with her after the first big thunderclap that woke her up. Then it was just sort of a pesky thunderstorm that kept "flaring up" every so often. Fortunately she has a double bed so it wasn't that big a deal. Smile

So yeah, what works for us is me sleeping in bed with her, followed by a day of me feeling pretty exhausted. But to me, establishing trust and providing comfort is my #1 priority with her. I remember my mom doing the same thing. I eventually grew out of needing her at night.

At this point I'm chalking it up to a phase. We get a break from them over the winter. Hopefully between the break and her maturing she'll be able to handle them better next year.

AggieCouple · September 2010

Yes. Not quite like your DS, but they shy away from the windows and TB will want to be held if it's especially loud. It's pretty expected that if there is a thunderstorm at bedtime, they both go to sleep in our bed.

Mominator · September 2010

DS no, but DD was. That is until I told her that it was just God bowling. Now she likes to tell me when he gets a strike versus a gutter ball and she isn't scared much anymore.

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