# How to rid a house of Monsters **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2012, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590 "2012-07-08T09:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![FarmChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@FarmChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmChick)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590/61 "2012-07-11T03:30:48Z")
Years ago I told my two boys that we don’t have monsters in our house. I told them that I’m not sure if there are no such thing as monsters, or if perhaps they could be scared of cats. I’ve always had cats in the house, from when I was little to now, and have never once seen a monster. Cats are so good at checking in all the corners, closets, and everywhere else… so it could be that there’s nowhere for the monsters to hide. All I know is, every house I’ve been in that has cats, has never had a monster. Either way, no worries, unless of course you don’t have a cat, then maybe you _do_ have monsters. Then I’d suggest getting some of the spray to keep them away. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590/62 "2012-07-11T12:17:33Z")
> [@FarmChick](#): > > Either way, no worries, unless of course you don’t have a cat, then maybe you _do_ have monsters. Then I’d suggest getting some of the spray to keep them away. Seems like the better solution is to get some cats ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590/63 "2012-07-11T16:04:56Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > Sooooo… > > No one here is even going to consider the notion that the kid might be right, and the house is rife with monsters? Sheesh. Oh, for cryin’ out loud. :rolleyes: If there were real monsters, they’d have eaten the parents already (parents being skeptical, aren’t usually on their guard and are the first to be subdued). Yeah, they could be posting as **Cheesesteak** to try to get hints on how to have the youngster let down his guard, so they can finally munch HIM, but closet monsters and their kin are _notoriously_ bad with spelling and grammar; judging by the OP and responses, it was really **Cheesesteak**. 😉 More seriously: we never had this problem with our kids, but I have heard of the monster repellant trick. Maybe try “if you open the door too much, the repellant will leak out and it won’t work as well in your room” to keep him from frequent calls for attention. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590/64 "2012-07-11T18:45:13Z")
Monsters started invaded Fang’s room when he was four or five. He insisted that I could put them in the car and drive them away. So I did. I worked. Now Spike is five, and they’re showing up in his room. Luckily, he has a guardian tiger that eats monsters. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590/65 "2012-07-11T19:54:35Z")
When I was a kid, I read my parents’ copy of [The Quality Time Almanac](http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Time-Almanac-Adams-Sullivan/dp/0385182937), a parents’ guide to fun things you can do for your kids. There was an entry on a little trick to keeping monsters at bay (i.e, calming your kid down at night). Tell them to put their shoes at the foot of their bed, one facing away from you (like when you put them on), one facing toward you. Tell them this is a magic away of keeping monsters or nightmares away. So, I read this, and was perfectly aware that this was just something parents were supposed to tell kids to get them to shut up and go to sleep, but I still arranged my shoes that way anyway so I wouldn’t have nightmares. Anyway, the point is that establishing some kind of monster-warding ritual or gesture like this helps your kid feel more in control of the situation and calms them down at night. I love the suggestions in this thread (the Febreeze as monster repellant is a great idea). ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590/66 "2012-07-11T21:25:43Z")
My son hasn’t really manifested a fear of Monsters, but a buddy of mine’s oldest son did. My friend told his son that he has been hunting monsters his whole life because Monster’s are delicious. He told him that Monsters may look scary, but they are made of chocolate cupcake. He said it worked for his son. My son mentioned monsters once and I told him the same thing. He’s play acted hunting for monsters a few times but it isn’t something he’s really ever mentioned around bed time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-rid-a-house-of-monsters/627590.md?page=3)