17 month old scared of the vacuum cleaner..

A lot of kids go through that. All of my kids were terrified of the vacuum as toddlers. My youngest is almost one and as soon as she sees me take it out she starts bawling and crawls away from it. Then she just sits and screams the whole time it is on. My 4 year old just got over her fear last summer (just before she turned 4). Up until then she cried whenever I turned it out and would run screaming from the room. Now, at least, she can venture into the room where the vacuum is running but she prefers to steer clear. I just continue on whether they cry or not--it has to get done and they aren't going to be scared forever.

My son was always terrified of the vacuum too. It was the noise not the machine. His ears were too sensitive to stand the sound. You probable should put her in another room when you are having to vacuum. I did let him play with the parts and push the vacuum when it was turned off and he was fine, but the noise was killing him. Later I found out there were pitches that bothered him too. He just had real sensitive auditory nerves. Good Luck!

Lots of small children are scared of the vacuum cleaner - my daughter was. They do grow out of it. I was going to suggest getting her a little toy vacuum cleaner so that she can "help" vacuum the carpets but I notice someone else has already made that suggestion. You should give it a try though because turning it into a game that she can participate in might help.

I have heard of this before. I know a friend of mine whose daughter was afraid of them it took her a long time before she finally got use to it. It takes a little bit of time. I would suggest just leaving it out so she can get use to it just being around. Then a little bit at a time let her get use to hearing it. Don't terrify her too much of it. Let her get use to it a little bit at a time. It does take a little while. Give her time and most of all love her when she is afraid.

Other then to keep telling her and holding her while the vaccumn is going , I don't believe there is much more you can do , she will have to overcome this in her own time . It is normal for younger children to be scared of loud noises but as long as you are always there for them to show them they have nothing to fear , they will outgrow this when they are older . Hope this helps best of luck !!

So is my Beagle, he is terrified of the vaccuum. He starts howling like crazy when I vaccuum my apartment and even barks at it when I stop, I find it hilarious. I know that my response answers none of your questions but I just thought everyone would like to hear that story. Thanks.

I don't have any tips since my daughter is only 10 months old. I have to say it's a little cute though. Don't hate me that I said that because I'm sure you don't think so at the moment lol. I think I might just vaccume when she's asleep or napping. I don't know what else you could do.

i don't know but maybe you just have to let her enjoy the vacuuming process.. as what most psychologists do it's a matter of conditioning. maybe the reason why she was scared of the vacuum is because she had associated it with something terrifying. maybe you can explain the sound of the vacuum when it is used or something. maybe you can make her get used to the vacuum by using it fairly at the same times a day when she's in the house. but you can put a certain bell on it, a toy perhaps or something that would make the vacuum kinda interesting to see and not scary. but just do this slowly do not do it fast as it would result to her being terrified. she might still be scared but you have to uncondition her fear. after all, it wouldn't be nice to think that you're daughter grows up as a girl or a woman afraid of teh vacuum right?

ya...it does happen,.... my nephew too who is very very cute indeed,.... and a 7 months old, fears of hoise...and it is quite a normal.... rather a surity that they do react and that their senses are proper.... infact my kiddu.... my sweeeeet nephew is afraid of my beard too at times!!!

I had forgotten but you brought my memories back. Both our daughters were a fraid of the vacuum cleaner too. They are grown and married now. I have hardwood floors too but I still use a vaccum cleaner. Like your daughter, they ran around screaming. LOL I got them over it by letting them help vacuum. First they just pretended to use it and after a few days we turned it on. It worked but I cant remember how many days it took to work

The vacuum cleaner in s scary thing, with no volume knob to make it quieter, further she simply does not understand how it works, and may or may not understand an explination of how it works. If possible, teach her to use it, begin with it turned off, show her how to turn it on and off, what it does, what it can suck up, and more importantly what it can not. You see she is smaller then her and may be afraid the thing will suck her up.

I would buy her her very own little vaccuum to alleviate her fear. Perhaps, then she will feel like "she can handle it" because it's smaller than she is.

please i beg of you to keep her away while cleaning am sure she will understand how harmless the machine is with time right.now is not the time.that might instil tramour into that little child

yes

How about first, try to make her get near and touch the vacuum cleaner when it is not switched on. This way, she would learn slowly that the vacuum cleaner wouldn't hurt her. After she's comfortable with it for a while, try keep her around certain distance to the vacuum cleaner while it is switched on. So on so forth.

She'll outgrow her fear eventually. In the meantime, anyway you can minimize the noise should help. Don't you wish they made quieter vacuums?