The Drain Monster

Anna has been petrified of drains since toddler-hood. She never likes hearing the bathtub drain out and absolutely hates drains in public bathrooms. She'll cling to the wall and skirt around them to get to the toilet and keeps a watchful eye on them at all times! I've tried explaining to her that the drain is not going to hurt her, but she just doesn't believe me. So I made up the drain monster.

At our old place, whenever I pulled the plug and we heard the drain monster gurgling, she would furiously get all of her toys out of the tub. I told her the drain monster doens't like to eat little girls, but he'll eat her toys. And he ALWAYS attacks Daddy when he takes a shower after work. (Daddy confirmed the report.) Then I told her a few times that the drain monster WAS hungry for little girl, but he couldn't get through the drain and she couldn't slip down. It seemed to work for awhile, then she got scared again.

So then I told her that the drain monster doctor told the drain monster that he was too fat and had to go on a diet. He was no longer allowed to eat little girls because they are too fatty. That finally got her over her fears of the drain and then we moved and our new tub didn't make any noise when draining. Until tonight. Rob and Ben cleaned it out better and it began to drain more efficiently, so once again we have a drain monster. I told her he missed drinking her bath water because she tastes so sweet and she reminded me that he's on a diet and can't eat her.

Sometimes getting a child over a silly-to-us fear takes an equally silly story :)