How did you protect against the 'creepies' as a kid?

[SilverOrchid]

Pranks I have played on my kids...

The old standby favorite: The walkie talkie.

About 6 years ago. I put one in my daughters closet before bedtime and after she was tucked in started the growling. She came flying out of the bedroom yelling "Mom! Dad is hiding in my closet and..." and saw me walk in from the carport. Eye's the size of Canada on the child. Asked her why she was out of bed and sent her back in and told her she was being silly.

Waited a few minutes and started growling again over the radio.  She came stalking down the hallway a few minutes later holding the radio up between two fingers like a dead fish and giving me the stinkeye.

I tried this on the man cub the other night, and he came out of his room laughing and holding up the walkie talkie and showing Mom what a good joke Dad had played on him.

Almost as much fun as the Headless Horseman prank and the infamous "Dad is a werewolf".

That is terrible you should be ashamed!!!   





I can't wait to try on my kid. 

[Miss Mia]

Pranks I have played on my kids...

The old standby favorite: The walkie talkie.

About 6 years ago. I put one in my daughters closet before bedtime and after she was tucked in started the growling. She came flying out of the bedroom yelling "Mom! Dad is hiding in my closet and..." and saw me walk in from the carport. Eye's the size of Canada on the child. Asked her why she was out of bed and sent her back in and told her she was being silly.

Waited a few minutes and started growling again over the radio.  She came stalking down the hallway a few minutes later holding the radio up between two fingers like a dead fish and giving me the stinkeye.

I tried this on the man cub the other night, and he came out of his room laughing and holding up the walkie talkie and showing Mom what a good joke Dad had played on him.

Almost as much fun as the Headless Horseman prank and the infamous "Dad is a werewolf".

I remember right before I'd go to bed I'd get a glass of water from the kitchen.  Well, my dad would turn off all the lights to the house and then hide.  So when I was walking through the den to my room, he'd jump out yelling "bw ha ha ha ha."  Always scared the crap out of me. 

[jtyangel]

Pranks I have played on my kids...

The old standby favorite: The walkie talkie.

About 6 years ago. I put one in my daughters closet before bedtime and after she was tucked in started the growling. She came flying out of the bedroom yelling "Mom! Dad is hiding in my closet and..." and saw me walk in from the carport. Eye's the size of Canada on the child. Asked her why she was out of bed and sent her back in and told her she was being silly.

Waited a few minutes and started growling again over the radio.  She came stalking down the hallway a few minutes later holding the radio up between two fingers like a dead fish and giving me the stinkeye.

I tried this on the man cub the other night, and he came out of his room laughing and holding up the walkie talkie and showing Mom what a good joke Dad had played on him.

Almost as much fun as the Headless Horseman prank and the infamous "Dad is a werewolf".

I remember right before I'd go to bed I'd get a glass of water from the kitchen.  Well, my dad would turn off all the lights to the house and then hide.  So when I was walking through the den to my room, he'd jump out yelling "bw ha ha ha ha."  Always scared the crap out of me. 

That's probably why we do it as parents, I expect. Kids will fall for it every time until they get to a certain age.

[asdf2231]

So the headless Horseman Prank...

Wife and Daughter were curled up on the sofa watching The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, an animated version that was pretty creepy.  They have the lights off and at the time we were living in a house that had a picture window that looked out on the yard that was backed by woods.

I slipped out of the house with one of those orange Trick Or Treat pumpkin buckets and a Mag Light.

Just as the Horseman is riding down Ichabod, I slammed my palm on the glass right behind their heads and switched the light on under the bucket while screaming "RAWR!"

Wife went flying off the sofa screaming and my Daughter looks over her shoulder and yells "We're trying to watch this DAD! Knock it off!!!"

Undies:
I never scared my kids like that.  I just messed with their heads.  My famous Kid Pound - the place for bad selfish children no one wanted anymore - is one example.  Then there was things like swallowing too much toothpaste would cause their stomachs to to fall out of their poophole when they went to the bathroom.  Things like that.

Oh man... Subtle!  I love it.  With my Mom it was the MuleSkinner, who took naughty kids and made shoes out of them. 
 
 

[Lord Undies]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

[Chris_]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

That's not All.  Look how much he had to Gain.

[Lord Undies]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

That's not All.  Look how much he had to Gain.

Wow.  You're Bold.

[Chris_]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

That's not All.  Look how much he had to Gain.

Wow.  You're Bold.

But I am always of good Cheer.

[SilverOrchid]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

That's not All.  Look how much he had to Gain.

Wow.  You're Bold.

At lease the washing machine didn't Bounce.

[Chris_]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

That's not All.  Look how much he had to Gain.

Wow.  You're Bold.

At lease the washing machine didn't Bounce.

If it did, you could nail it down with just an Arm and Hammer.

[SilverOrchid]

I was not afraid of the "creepies" as a child, as I considered myself to be one.

I did however, have a real fear of washing machines.
Apparently, I had at sometime been left with a washing machine that was running with an unbalanced load, and it started walking across the room.  Must have scared the crap out of me.  I had nightmares about washing machines until I was around 6.

I can see how that would turn the emotional Tide.

That's not All.  Look how much he had to Gain.

Wow.  You're Bold.

At lease the washing machine didn't Bounce.

If it did, you could nail it down with just an Arm and Hammer.

I don't think that would be a Febreze.

[Happy Fun Ball]

I was mostly on the supply side of the "creepies". Most of the time, it was things like startling people during a spooky, suspenseful part of a movie. Halloween was the best time for scaring kids before all the PC nonsense got started.

Once, I was dressed up in a black robe and hood (with a dark mask to hide my face in the dark). I stood motionless in the yard with a severed head in one hand and a scythe in the other. Most of the kids seemed to stay well away from me, but there were a couple of wiseguys who wanted a closer look. They actually seemed convinced that I was some kind of dummy. One of them kicked my shin, but not hard, and the other got right in my face. He wasn't more than a foot away, but because of the mask, he actually thought I had no face. As they went on their merry way, I started walking after them, but it wasn't until I threw the scythe at them (really a homemade boomerang that returned for an easy catch) that they really freaked out and took off running.

Another time, I dressed up like Freddy (complete with the red and green sweater and a load of makeup) while by sister answered the door. When everything was all set, she answered the door, and I would jump out from behind and seemingly stab her in the stomach. She'd released the fake blood and fall down. Then I'd turn to the kids at the door, and they would take off running as fast as they could.

We didn't get any trick or treaters for the next few years after that.

[DixieBelle]

^dang, that's hardcore!!!

[SilverOrchid]

I was mostly on the supply side of the "creepies". Most of the time, it was things like startling people during a spooky, suspenseful part of a movie. Halloween was the best time for scaring kids before all the PC nonsense got started.

Once, I was dressed up in a black robe and hood (with a dark mask to hide my face in the dark). I stood motionless in the yard with a severed head in one hand and a scythe in the other. Most of the kids seemed to stay well away from me, but there were a couple of wiseguys who wanted a closer look. They actually seemed convinced that I was some kind of dummy. One of them kicked my shin, but not hard, and the other got right in my face. He wasn't more than a foot away, but because of the mask, he actually thought I had no face. As they went on their merry way, I started walking after them, but it wasn't until I threw the scythe at them (really a homemade boomerang that returned for an easy catch) that they really freaked out and took off running.

Another time, I dressed up like Freddy (complete with the red and green sweater and a load of makeup) while by sister answered the door. When everything was all set, she answered the door, and I would jump out from behind and seemingly stab her in the stomach. She'd released the fake blood and fall down. Then I'd turn to the kids at the door, and they would take off running as fast as they could.

We didn't get any trick or treaters for the next few years after that.

I remember some jackass jumped out of a tree on Halloween wearing a Jason mask with him holding a (fake) chainsaw. It scared the crap out of me!!

[Lauri]

Ever since I ave seen Jaws,the only time I have been in water deeper then my ankles outside of a tub or pool was when the military said I had to be in it. Things with big teeth in water are bad.

yeah, i will admire the ocean from the sand.. even if its burning hot.

I love oceans and lakes.  I spend a lot of vacation time at Mexican coastal resorts and will be retiring to one.

But I like to be OVER the water.  Not IN it.  I don't like the feel of water in or against my face.  I "swam" with the Manitees in FLA but didn't really enjoy it, since I couldn't breathe.  And my snorkeling in Hawaii, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Vera Cruz, etc. have never been fun -- think a water version of Chevy Chase's Grand Canyon moment in NL Vacation.

Now, I just look and enjoy.

i grew up in dallas, around all the lakes and such... i never did quite get used to the little fish that would brush up against my legs, and not being able to see the bottom.

now it's just a hair issue; i straighten it once a day and its long now, so... i dont wanna do that twice... 

[Chris_]

Ever since I ave seen Jaws,the only time I have been in water deeper then my ankles outside of a tub or pool was when the military said I had to be in it. Things with big teeth in water are bad.

Wow, I thought Jaws was the most unscary movie I've ever seen. I saw it when I was a teenager and couldn't believe that ridiculous, fake-looking shark was getting everyone so worked up.

Cindie

[Lord Undies]

Ever since I ave seen Jaws,the only time I have been in water deeper then my ankles outside of a tub or pool was when the military said I had to be in it. Things with big teeth in water are bad.

Wow, I thought Jaws was the most unscary movie I've ever seen. I saw it when I was a teenager and couldn't believe that ridiculous, fake-looking shark was getting everyone so worked up.

Cindie

As for "Jaws", the realism of the fake shark was not the issue.  Really, the film didn't have to show the shark at all.  It would have worked if the shark had been implied.  The "horror" of the movie was all psychological.   It rattled people's cages and made the ordinarily safe seem unsafe and forbidding.   

[Chris_]

I had a night light. 

[VelvetElvis]

When I was a kid I had a recurring nightmare about being chased be skeletons.  I'm sure the genesis of the dream was the scene from Jason and the Argonauts whre Jason and his men fight the skeletons rising up from the ground.  I would wake up in terror about 2 times a week.

I finally devised a strategy which successfully dealt with it.  I would tell myself just as I was rousing from sleep that I was going to "change the channel", and would then start to dream of something I found pleasant.  It doesn't seem like it should have worked, but it actually did!