We are taking NikkiZ to the circus tonight. MrZ’s mom gave us tickets to see the circus in town and we are all very excited. NikkiZ watches these Baby Genius DVDs that have animals and music and she loves it. So, I’m pretty sure the Elephants will be something she loves and is not afraid of. And something she might fall in love with.
The clowns, on the other hand, I worry will scare the shit out of her.
We’ve been telling her about the animals that will be at the circus, but when we mention the clowns she gets a bit of a blank look. I don’t think she knows what a clown is. We don’t watch movies or TV shows with clowns, none of our books have clowns, it’s just not something that has come up before. But - I think meeting them face to face - may be the worst possible way to introduce her.
I know people who hate clowns, and are honestly scared of them. And I’m terrified it’s because they’re parents took them to the circus when they were two and didn’t explain what clowns were before hand. NikkiZ’s a little shy as it is - but put a crazy wig and makeup on someone, and I really don’t see her warming up.
What do you think? Think she’ll love them? Hate them? Need therapy for life because this experiences with no prep from her parents will give her nightmares for the next fourteen years?
My 9 year old HATES clowns, hates them. I don’t remember it ever being a traumatic thing, just something she always hated. She hates them so bad that I had found a dog costume that was a clown and she cried that I would do that to her dog.
I hate clowns. Mostly because of scary clown movies. Something tells me she won’t exactly freak out, but maybe do that thing she does when the dogs bark. Run for the nearest lap!
My daughter hates clowns. You might try googling some pictures of clowns first. Maybe give her an idea of what they are. If she freaks at home then you can keep them away from her. Possibly.
Get books from the library and find some fun videos online of clowns at other circuses, just be sure to preview them first!
Have her watch JoJo the clown on disney or nick and she will see a bunch of them (although they are cartoon) and maybe that will help.
I don’t care for clowns myself. I don’t hate them and am not afraid of them. They just kinda give me the creeps. I think it has a lot to do with Pennywise.
Yeah.
Here’s what worked for my two-year-old son (a zillion years ago). He was scared of clowns. It was Halloween. He dressed up as a clown because he wanted to “be something scary.” And poof! No more fear of clowns.
Put a little makeup on her and a wig and a funny tie, take her picture, tell her how cute she is, and I betcha the clowns won’t bother her a bit.
I’m with Rachel. Perhaps get her to sit with you and see some clown images on the computer. Hype it up? Like, Look at that silly red nose that clown has! He’s so funny! Funny clown!
Sometimes I feel like if I hype stuff up with my nieces it goes over better.
We used to ALWAYS go to Ringling Brothers when I was a little girl. For some reason, my dad thought it smart to buy this big Ringling Brothers poster with ALL the clowns (which I am still pretty sure hangs in my bedroom at his house, but that is neither here, nor there) ANYWAY, I’m just saying. Don’t buy her a poster. I am still scared of that poster and I’m pushing 30.
Our nursery school teacher let the kids watch her get made up as a clown during Halloween time. I have to say, none of my kids are afraid of clowns now. Just a thought of something you could do.
Are you kidding?! I think she’ll love the clowns. This is a kid who loved a super-scary Michael Myers mask! She is fearless.
Pull some up on the internets (google images, etc.) that aren’t too close up or scary. Have her check them out before tonight, tell her how silly and funny they are to encourage giggles.
I am going to have to say hate if there is actual one on one interaction with the clowns. If there is no one on one interaction? then she will be indifferent.
I’m bettin’ she’s not going to be a fan… What do I win if I’m right???
I think the clowns will be OK– it’s those loud motorcycles riding in the Globe of Doom that scare the crap out of me.
I am completely terrified of clowns, but maybe you could show her a picture or something prior to heading out to show her what they are.
I’ve never, ever been to the Circus, so do report back!
I’m surprised you do the circus…we boycott it, always have…they treat the animals horribly! Heck with the clowns, I was always fine with them but I was horrified by animals being hit!
Clowns suck. As Clancy said, this is a kid who laughed at the Michael Myers mask that creeped me out and I haven’t even see the Halloween movies. She’ll probably be one of those people who never has a visceral reaction when she sees a clown. When she grows up, have her call me so she can teach me that trick.
Someone may have suggested this already, but do a google (or blingo) search for clown pictures. There will be some “real people” clowns and that may help he rget used to the idea. My daughter was TERRIFIED of my BIL as a clown for Halloween and now she won’t even go near him when we see them.
BTW - totally random question:
How’s the cleaning out your inbox everyday thing going?
I’ll answer Lisa’s question here too: Ringling Bro’s documents their animal care practices here:
http://www.feldentertainment.com/pr/aca/FAQ1.htm
Where I’m not going to defend them 100%, I’m not educated enough to do so, I will say this: I don’t buy free range chicken or beef. I DO know that chickens and cows I eat meat from have been treated way worse than the circus animals. It’s hard for me to boycott one and not the other. Ideally? If I were disciplined and passionate? I’d boycott both (I was a Vegan for 9 months and very much enjoyed it.) But I’m lazy. And just want to take my kids to the circus. But for those of you who boycott the mistreatment of animals in the circus AND in your food? I admire that.
She is not going to like them at all…and is a little to young to explain … so will probably freak out…oh wait that’s what my son did…and he does not like Mall Santas, or Chuck E Cheese either!
I say you prepare her by showing her the movie “It”. That should help.
I was never scared of clowns as a kid, but now I find them a bit sketchy! I know we had a clown costume in our tickle trunk, but I don’t remember the “introduction.” I hope it doesn’t scare her!
I doubt she’ll need therapy, though she might be scared. I was always terrified of clowns (and Santa and the big stuffed animal characters at Disneyland), but I got over it. Mostly because I’m friends with a woman (and fellow blogger Bozoette Mary from Red Nose) who was a circus clown and she’s very sweet and funny and wonderful, but also because I grew up and realized clowns are just people in bright costumes and makeup being outrageously crazy and silly. I wish you all luck at the circus and hope you have a great time!
I remember my first circus, I was about 7… the clown picked me out of the audience {YAY! I’m a Leo I LOVE THIS STUFF - taDA HI EVERYBODY I’M IN CAPS LOCK!}.
Then he had me put on a silly hat and put a flower between my teeth {um, ok, not so much with the caps lock anymore I think you might be making fun of me and the fact that I’m brave}.
Then he turned around the picture he had been “painting” of me. A donkey with a silly hat and a flower between its teeth. As a hard-core Leo I don’t do embarassed, I don’t blush. I’m either fine or I’m shamed/mortified in a gut chruning kind of way. That clown still makes my stomach hurt.
NikkiZ will have fun though!
I think she will like them. I’m totally guessing, but I don’t think she’ll be scared.
I hope she was okay with the clowns. They don’t bother me. Rignling Bros. is the only circus I can tolerate. The others I’ve been to make me depressed because the animals look so miserable.