# Terrified TOTs



## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

"Quote: The backyard was pretty scary with clowns and actors and lots of startles and I'm pretty sure that a bunch of little ones should not have been subject to that. "

When I was professionally clowning, I ran into quite a few insensitive parents who would push little ones close to the clowns all the while the little ones are screaming and clawing to get away. Mind you, we weren't scary clowns, but the fun loving everyday type. For these kids, it was just wrong- and may have cause lifelong phobias.

This has been on my mind ever since. The object of a haunt is to offer a scare to people who are WILLING and WANT to go through. Not cause a phobia to people who don't. SO, what does everyone do when it is obvious a child is being pushed into a situation (or pulled by mom/dad/bro/sis/friend) s/he is terrified to be in?


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## BooGirl666 (Jul 29, 2006)

I try and talk them into it. I had a few kids that would wait in line and when it was their turn they would try and back out. Their friends or family would say come'on you can do it. I told them we build all the props and rooms inside It can't be that scary. You'll have a big smile on your face after you get out knowing you faced your fear. Come'on halloween is about being scared, you can do it.


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## tuck (Oct 27, 2007)

I let my wife do most of the coaxing especially for the smaller children. Not to sound sexist or anything but I think they seem to relate to a woman easier than a man. As far as the older kids, especially the boys, I think anybody can eventually talk them into it. Especially if they are in a group. A little teasing and they will typically go through the display.
At the same time though, if a child looks completely terrified to the point of having a nervous breakdown, then nobody should be forced to go. And if a parent if forcing them to go, then maybe go along with them to point out where things may pop out or show them what your "monsters" are made of to put their mind at ease.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

We offer candy both at the entracne to the walk through and at the end. There are small children who are visibly apprehensive (or downright afraid) of the lights, sounds, screams of the previous group. I offer them a treat at the entrance so as not to make them feel they are only to be rewarded for showing some false bravery, all the while screaming or crying. As with most kids, there is a time when they will be ready to put their bravado to the test. I have been very upfront with a few parents who insist on dragging little kids through our walk through, and while it is not terrifiying, it is meant to be scary and there are some actors who jump out of dark places. I want these kids to come back year after year, not be in therapy for being traumatized at my house on Halloween.


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## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

My friend and I were in our trutre chamber and a little boy came through with his mom and sister and what I heard him say made me immediately pull off my mask to help him. He said "THEY'RE GOING TO HURT ME. PLEASE LET ME LEAVE!" He sincerely thought we meant to hurt him, so my friend and I took off our masks and just said something like "Heyy it's okay. We're just kids, we won't hurt you. We're just having fun." He was still terrified but at least we didn't scare him haha.


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## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

Actually what I've done before is tell the mother/father that if they want they can stand behind me and watch me scare the next group so they can see what it's like. In fact when I was in our chainsaw shack I invited alittle boy in to scare the next group himself while his dad stood on the oppostie side of the trail. It was really funny because he was only like...2 feet tall haha. But he laughed when he tried to scare them and I guess he felt better about all of it. 

Then again, unless the kids seem REALLY TRULY terrified, I'll scare them. Even if they're crying. > lmao


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

I usually hand out candy to the kids and while my costume is kind of scarey, they will take it from me IF I go out to the front sidewalk and not make them come into the yard. I've had parents force their kids go through our display and that drives me crazy. I don't want to ruin Halloween for them. I have signs up warning that it may not be a good idea for little kids, and my husband is at the beginning of the haunt telling them the same thing. I even heard one woman tell her son, who was maybe about 5 and getting tired of walking and trick or treating, that if he didn't behave she'd make him go into our yard! This is why I usually have a small part of the yard that is child friendly...a place where nothing will jump out and scare them and where there are no actors. They have a place to sit and watch the band play or whatever I put out there while waiting for the parents or older siblings to come out of the haunt. If the kids seem scared, I offer to go over and stay there with them so the parents can go inside and enjoy the haunt, knowing that their little one is being watched over.It seems to put their mind at ease and I'm not making any kids cry.


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## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

None of my display is scary or threatening - and I don't dress up. BUT I'm sitting in the display and the kids have to walk through it. My kids aren't scared of anything - which was exactly the opposite of me as a kid. I have often thought of why that is. 

We tell the kids it is make believe. Something I never had as a child. My 5 year old watched Poltergeist without batting an eye. And slept like a teddy bear afterwards. Might not look under her bed for a while... but understands what is story telling and what isn't.

When I was a kid - I also had an older step brother that would scare me to death. True torment.

So I can sympathize with both camps. We want to up the fright ante next year - but we still would not use actors. Heck - some kids are scared of MLB Mascots.


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

My walkthrough is scary (for the older kids and adults), the graveyard is not (for the TOTs), so I warn the parents ahead of time. If they still insist on bringing their children through the walk through and I see that the kids are petrified I just don't try to scare the kids. The other actors are instructed to do the same. Besides, the parents are always my target, regardless of how into it the kids are. Ultimately, I think it is up to the parents to make that decision though.


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## mikeq91 (Jul 19, 2005)

I was the first actor in the haunted house I worked at this year, so I got to hear a lot of people having second thoughts about whether they wanted to go through or not. My basic belief was that its the parents decision... if they are want to continue through with their kids, thats their decision and I'll continue with the scare. However what I did find is that there were a few groups that were exiting right after my scare, which isn't fun for anyone. So sometimes I'd do a toned down version if there were little kids who were clearly aprehensive. But overall my belief is that if parents want their kids scarred for life, its not my place to overrule them


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

I only had a couple of kids that wouldn't come into the garage / witch shop and I walked the candy out to them. Our haunt isn't very scary though.


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## slightlymad (May 25, 2006)

We usually have someone at the end of the sidewalk to give candy to the scardy tots. Despite good intentions we have never added a kiddy section. We do however directly go after any adult we forcing a child where they dont want to go. The kids usually find it funny when the adult gets scared and there has never been a problem my neighbor or I couldnt handle.


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## CreepyCanmore (Mar 27, 2007)

We used a guide with a flashlight for the little ones and my friend and I toned it down considerably for them. Some were very tentative to enter, but the guide coaxed them in and we would bend down slowly to their level and wave (you know, like friendly ghouls and reapers...) We had no problems and all the kids seemed to enjoy it. 

I like scaring kids who can laugh about it afterwards, but we try hard no to scary anyone who looks like they shouldn't be pounced upon. So I guess it's all a judgement call really.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

My brother and I were out on the front lawn in costume as zombies. If we saw some really little ones coming we'd back right off but still they might be too afraid to make it up to the front door. I had an emergency bowl of treats hidden in the bushes that I could get the parents to take from so that everyone got a candy even if they were to afraid to come near. We'd wave at them and wish them a Happy Halloween in a goofy voice - that would normally cheer them up.


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## GothicCandle (Mar 26, 2007)

we've never gotten any truly scared kids. they all love it. some kids are a little scared of the music mostly but they have never been crying or screaming. but when i do see a kid thats seems too scared to come up threw the haunt i always ask if they want me to come down the drive way to hand them their candy. they always brave their fear and end up liking my props.


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## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

I think if you having a haunt and you see someone trying to coax a screaming terrified child...i mean child not teen or preteen then dont let them in. Some parents are totally stupid when it comes to what scares kids. I try to keep in mind that what scares one kid may not scare the next. I dont want to scar them for life... Just my two


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## tot13 (Jul 25, 2007)

turtle2778 said:


> I think if you having a haunt and you see someone trying to coax a screaming terrified child...i mean child not teen or preteen then dont let them in. Some parents are totally stupid when it comes to what scares kids. I try to keep in mind that what scares one kid may not scare the next. I dont want to scar them for life... Just my two


Agreed. Our fund-raising haunted trail is led by guides. We use a rear-guide to keep the groupe together and escort out anyone who doesn't feel they can finish the trail. We also provide a kid corral staffed by soccer moms for those kids not comfortable going in - as in, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I was stunned at how many people brought small children (5 and under) and forced them through. I had to stop several tours and break character just to calm the kids. It's kinda funny in that nothing the parents said calmed the kids, but our staff interacting directly with the kids seemed to help by letting the kids carry the flashlight or walk with the lead guide (in costume).

I had one family that really made me uncomfortable. They had what appeared to be a 2 and a 4 year old - both hysterical. They finally allowed the rear guide to take the younger child out, but the made the 4 year old continue. Another story: one of our clowns told of a child begging his dad, who was carrying him, "Daddy, please, I love you, don't make me go in there!" "In there" referred to our clown maze.


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## slimy (Jul 12, 2006)

I wrote this in a previous post, but not here. 

Front of my yard: fun, but not too scary. Backyard: pretty freaking scary. I warned everybody before going back there and not one single person ( out of probably a thousand visitors) backed out. With that many people, you can't stop and argue with the parents that this may not be appropriate for small children. Many kids did not want to go, but mom and dad dragged them through anyway because mom and dad wanted to see what was back there. I'm not sure how I will handle this next year. 

I had one mom pass out and hyperventilate. I had one dad lose his balance. Several adults were crying when it was done. The adult screams were deafening. This made me laugh. I enjoy that kind of thing. 

But the kids though. I heard a TON of crying and screaming. Even after they were out of the yard and into the friendly area. Again, I had way too many visitors to tone down some parts and up the ante on others. I tried to position people to be on the other end of the scare if they had little ones, but it didn't always work that way. Now I get calls from my wife's cousin that say that his girls have slept with him every night since Halloween and made him through away all of their clown dolls. Did I ruin my favorite holiday for them? 

I do nothing bloody or gorey, but it was scary. I'm totally rethinking what I'm going to do next year.


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## CemeteryFlower (Nov 7, 2007)

We gave kids whistles one year. When they blew the whistles, the monsters had to run away screaming. It really got the little ones into it. Made them feel like they were saving everyone. At the end, they were quite bold about it. 

However, at the end, the moster didn't have very good hearing and scared them anyway, so they left only mildly frightened instead of terrified.

We had to make sure that we didn't have anyone in the groups with the kids that really wanted to be scared, so we'd split them up like an amusement park rollercoaster.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

I've heard of pro haunts that will give an obviously terrified child a glow stick or a rattle and call it a mystic talisman or protective charm or whatever... the actorscan see the glow and not directly terrorize that one, or when the monster gets to close the kid is told to rattle it at them. The actors do the Dracula/crucifix thing and back off from the carrier, hissing hatefully at them, and menace someone else. The kid goes through the haunt petrified but feeling like a hero because s/he bravely fought off the monsters.

It makes sense to me. Bravery isn't the absence of fear but the ability to face fear and function through it. If a kid has the option of taking a "secret weapon" with them and forging through the scares, it could be a constructive experience. Build their little self-images and all that; they come out feeling like a warrior. Maybe a warrior with wet pants, but a warrior nonetheless. And the kid'll be telling stories about it for months to come and you know they'll want to come back.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

I really like that idea, Rev!


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## kerryike (Oct 5, 2006)

I like Rev's idea too. I just saw a video yesterday on youtube that was on a link posted by one of our members where they used the glow sticks for the smaller kids in case they were scared. That way the smaller kids that may be more brave and excited about it don't miss out because of an actor's judgement to go easy on them.


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

My previous haunts were all done by actors so it was easy to have it both way's. Just like Revenant state the person running the entrance would give a blue calume light to any child that was affraid and as the child walked through the actors knew not to frieghten any group with a blue light. If there was no blue light all bets were off.
Now that I want to automate it more I may have to have a master kill switch so that I can let a group through without the props activating. I've thought about how I could get the room to recognise whether to activate or not but haven't come up with anything yet.
As for parents that try to force thier obiously terrified child through without the light. We would let them know that they could go through a second time with the child if he/she was a little more comfortable or without and we always had a 13" tv and a dvd player with kids cartoons 10' away but within view of the exit. I would even give my truck keys to any parent that was apprehensive, explaining that I want my truck, not your kid. We rarely had any troubles.


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## Koumajutsu (Aug 9, 2006)

I have to say, I actually have had more fun when there's a terrified kid in a group than when there isnt.

When I was haunting with Shaunathan, I was the only scare. and pretty much I was invisible in a dot room.

Well, when the young TOTs that were obviously scared to death came in, clutching the arm of their parent for dear life, I would hold back from scaring. 
I would wait till the wee one got their candy and were headed back out, filled with joy that they made it through. Then I would brush the shoulder or back of the parent they clug to for support.

I swear, I've never seen a more terrified person, and a more confused child, as when I would have daddy running down the street screaming like a teenager at a pop concert.


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## TearyThunder (Jul 1, 2006)

yeah but you had no problem chasing that group back to their SUV and even as they sped off in terror this year huh?


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## Toktorill (Sep 15, 2007)

A guide led people through our fund-raising haunt, staffed by actors with a strict no-touch policy in effect. Every group led through was giving a small speech along the lines of "we're just people in masks, we won't touch you, so PLEASE don't touch us!!!". Kids were a little more willing to go in when the adults were pleading with them NOT to hurt anyone in the haunt. (Even still, one of our actors was kicked hard in the shin, and an actress was kicked in the side of the head). They were also told they could say "I want out", at which point we would quietly lead them out.


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## Cassie7 (Sep 16, 2007)

Very clever idea Rev.

Next year, we are planning on doing two separate haunts. One in the front yard for the little kids (scary pumpkin patch) and a horror walk-through in the back yard for adults. But we know that there will be some retarded adults that will drag their little ones kicking and screaming through the backyard one.

This is a great idea and I'm gonna steal it


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

ERICK WITH NO K's haunt video shows they did something similar with Popsicle sticks to hold up in front of an actor as awarding the guest has had enough scaring for one night. Try doing that on a roller coaster and see if they stop it though :googly: In other words I think guests should expect it's going to be scary. Now if it's completely unexpected like you run out of the bushes during ToT handing out candy, then that's a different story. But in any event a glow stick more expensive but more noticeable for that purpose for a wlak-thru.

The guy across the street from my aunt's house was scaring ToT's for fun last year and a parent on a cell phone called the cops. They just told him to cool it.

I was ready to get on a cell phone and call the cops about ToT's and adults ToT-ing with no costumes but that's another thread.

For my part I had one of those simple small paint can filled with screws and washers shaker noisemakers that when shook just a little bit freaked out the smaller ToT's. Last year we had the remote controlled noisemaker inside a grim reaper that was fun. It got the attention and scared a few.

Our props last year were hardly noticed by smaller ToT's. It was the older ones that got into it and had fun scared for the most part. I wasn't worried that they would call the cops.


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## ZombieLoveme (Jul 6, 2007)

Called the POLICE? Wha? It doesn't surprise me, though. People just seem to insist that if that they don't like something, then it's illegal. Never fails. Before we moved a couple years ago, I had a neighbor call the police because leaves blew off my tree into their yard.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Now THAT was intelligent!


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## Hellspawn (Oct 13, 2006)

All of my startle props are triggered manually so as soon as I spot some scared kids but parents that are trying to force them up, ill run out and have them help me scare other kids, ill let them hit the buttons and everything, then if they are still around when there is a break in the action, ill show them how a certain prop is put together, what its made of, have them touch it, ect.

I got a few complaints from parents saying it was too scary, all I could say is, its "Halloween!" and "you could tell down the street that it was too intense, with kids running away and parents standing back watching, laughing and waiting for YOUR kids to go up" its the parents fault, not mine.

Call me insensitive.


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## propman (Feb 19, 2005)

I think you should just back off. I hate scaring little kids that don't want to be. It happened only once, and that was enough for me to make me think it was just wrong.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

It is impossible to tell what will scare kids. We have had little ones go through and come out just fine. We have had teenagers coming out crying... It really is just what scares them personally.
I really really like the idea of the glow sticks Rev. I might try that for next year. This past Halloween we didn't have as many children as in past years... I guess word got out that we are actually scary! And as many of you have said, it's really up to the parents to decide if their kids can handle it or not.
In fact, we got a lot of phone calls from parents asking how scary it was and if their kids could handle it... It's just too hard to say!
When we have the littler ones come through I made sure to let all of my actors know (via walkie talkie) that there was a little one coming through so be sure to back off.
All in all, we had a very successful year with not too many criers!
.


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