Do You Believe in Ghosts?

I believe in ghosts (raised shinto)... but I strongly doubt that's what's up. In large part because everything you're describing sounds totally normal.

Esp that she's waking up after the tylenol has worn off and wants snuggle time/ is severely unhappy / discombobulated / also probably hungry since waking up all confused in pain. I would dose, feed, snuggle, and tuck back in bed.

Kids also often point at "nothing" because they see light and shadow differently than we do. As in, their brains are still learning to filter out "extra" info and OUR brains don't even notice cool textures, the interplay of dustmotes, reflections from windows, heat waves, vibrations from appliances even though we can SEE all that an more. Instead we see a blank wall.

Getting "clingy" (no or little independent play) is also very age typical. Walking and holding hands comes with POWER. I can move an adult anywhere I want! Cool! Independence seeking will come next. But right now it's a touch of separation anxiety more than likely.

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Why doesn't one of you sleep in there on the floor one night and see whats up? If she is waking at the same times then maybe a furnace is kicking in or something.

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Yes.
My daughter had angels. I believe that children can see spirits far more easily than adults. She said she's had a visitor here - a gentleman with dark hair. She isn't frightened by them. She finds them comforting - she feels as if they are watching out for her.
I've had spirits show up in photos. I figure it's my Gram coming to check things out. She's show up in photos when we were building the addition and at times of great celebration. She's not been around much lately, but I figure she'll be around when my oldest graduates in June. :-)
YMMV
LBC

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Just wanted to second that battery operated toys can eerily talk on their own when the batteries are dying. I didn't know this until I had a son, and his first battery operated toys started to die. It is really weird to hear those toys go off on their own... but after you have more than one toy do it, and you figure out that they do that when the batteries are dying, well, it's just annoying then!

I also agree with Riley, that everything else seems pretty normal/age appropriate for your daughter. Teething, seperation anxiety, etc. All pretty typical, and nothing I would attribute to ghosts.

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I didn't believe in ghosts until I moved into a house that had them. I learned they are harmless, and taught myself to think about them like a dog. -- You know they are around, but they don't hurt you. Also go into the room and out loud and confidently talk to your ghost and tell him what the rules are - like "stay out when the baby is here." -- It doesn't hurt and doesn't cost anything. It can't hurt.

Whether or not you have a mysterious presence, kids move in and out of phases where they are scared. Kids are perfectly fine, and then they are afraid of something. It's because they are growing and their development level is more sophisticated. I'd just go with her needs and she will change again (and again).

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I do believe in ghosts, but I don't think that's what is going on in your situation... What it sounds like to me is that she has discovered that she can get you to come play with her in her room... My baby brother used to point at 'nothing' all the time to see if we would look, it was a game for him. A lot of musical toys will start randomly playing when the batteries are low. (we had a puzzle that would randomly make "moo" sounds if a shadow fell across it...) Usually, if a place is haunted, it has BEEN haunted... Or you have been messing with things without knowing what you're doing ( like ouja boards) It's not usually something that just happens out of the blue.... Especially if it's a reoccurring thing.

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Do I believe in ghosts? No.
I think there will always be things we can't explain/understand and I think people are extremely creative when it comes to explaining what can't be understood. It's natural for our minds to fill in the blanks with something until some better explanation comes along. It doesn't mean myths and ghost stories are not sometimes fun.
As for explaining toddlers - they are a tough bunch.
At 15 months, separation anxiety can ramp up (some kids will panic if you just step into the next room). Teething can be a factor and can cause some ear pain, too. Young eyes/ears can pick out sights/sounds we can't see or hear. There's a high pitched ringtone which adults can't hear, but teens hear it just fine.

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I most certainly believe in ghosts. I've had odd things happen in my house....like the time the ceiling fan was moving by itself. It wasn't on, but started spinning slowly one day. I stopped it, then went to the bathroom. When I came back it started up again. Yet it was going slow enough for me to know it wasn't on. I've had cold spots in my house...heard a man talking on speaker phone and thought it was my roommate who was downstairs when I was upstairs. We both heard the noise and thought it was each other. We've heard it again but can't figure out what it is.

Anyways, it sounds as if your daughter is scared of the dark. What I would do is get a nightlight that can stay on all night and put that in her room. I've also used frebreze and told my twin daughters that it was " monster spray". They get to spray it around the room and I told them that monsters don't like the smell so they stay away. It works everytime...and when the bottle gets low, I fill it up with water.

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My sister in law had similar odd situations with her oldest daughter. It didn't have to do with sleeping, but she would be up in her room talking to someone. My SIL would hear her and ask who she was talking to (obviously kids talk out loud a lot), and she would talk about this man that she was talking to. She wasn't afraid, and from the time she was tiny, she knew the difference between real and pretend. I think that kids are much more open and probably do see ghosts more often than adults. That being said, it could be a variety of other things that were mentioned as well. Try different medicine maybe? All of the other suggestions sound great as well. Good luck!

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yes i have had quite a few of paranormal experiences. Two of my three kids seem to have had some experiences also.
My oldest son told me when he closes his eyes he can see an old man that used to live here. Our house in only 20 yrs old. Previously the land we live on had been a cow farm so maybe that man is the farmer. He described him in detail to me many times.
My 4yr old daughter this past September told me while we were attending church service she could see angels. The rest of my family could not. The angels are always in the same part of the church and she only sees the angels at church.
She also told me many times that an old woman comes in her room at night..but I cant tell if she is being truly because she wont describe her. This old woman seems very real to her. My daughter says she is too scared to talk to the old woman. I told my daughter she should ask why is keeps coming in her room.

Updated

yes i have had quite a few of paranormal experiences. Two of my three kids seem to have had some experiences also.
My oldest son told me when he closes his eyes he can see an old man that used to live here. Our house in only 20 yrs old. Previously the land we live on had been a cow farm so maybe that man is the farmer. He described him in detail to me many times.
My 4yr old daughter this past September told me while we were attending church service she could see angels. The rest of my family could not. The angels are always in the same part of the church and she only sees the angels at church.
She also told me many times that an old woman comes in her room at night..but I cant tell if she is being truly because she wont describe her. This old woman seems very real to her. My daughter says she is too scared to talk to the old woman. I told my daughter she should ask why is keeps coming in her room.

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Absolutely!

My daughter has had whole conversations and fights with 'invisible' friends. Just Monday, the dog was watching a shadow on the ceiling that then moved to sit on the couch between my kids and at the same time my daughter shifted.

My inlaws lived in a house where windows would open/close and a closet would rearrange itself.

One thing you can try is to get a dreamcatcher that goes in the window or on the crib at her head.

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My son's toys have a tendency to play on their own, esp when the batteries are dying. 15 mos comes a time where separation anxiety peaks- I would think this has a lot to do with her behavior.
Are there other things going on that might make you think it's haunted? I am not saying it's not. But usually there is a logical explanation for what is thought to be paranormal activity.

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I don't really believe in ghosts, but I believe that empty rooms are scary for young children. The older they get, the more aware of their surroundings they are. She needs your comfort for now.

Also, I remember when I was fairly young and my sister and I shared a room. We heard scratching in our walls and our parents didn't believe us. Eventually they came quietly into our room after dark and listened. Guess what? We had mice in the walls. They only scratched after the lights were out. We lived on a farm - my dad brought in a barn cat for a night a put it in the attic - problem solved.

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I know that the spirit of loved ones that have passed away have come to see children in my family. Moments after my father passed my son who was 2 woke up screaming. My husband and I checked him and got him calmed down and then the phone rang and my aunt told me my dad had passed. My cousin saw our great grandmother who passed long before we were born and she described her to my aunt, her mother and she knew right away it was our great grandmother who we never talked about other than the fact that shw had passed away.
Now it could be something like that or it could be something as simple as her shadow. My granddaughter is scared of her own shadow on my bedroom wall at night. She screams cries and then put her head completely under the cover before she calms down. During the day shadows are fine, but at night no way. You mentioned the toy coming on at night for no reason and that could be really scary for a child and even an adult. Just do your best to make her feel safe. Show her her shadow and make hand puppets on the walls so that it takes some of the scare out of shadows. Make sure all toys are turned off and put away so that they don't accidentally get turned on. All you can do is comfort her and make her feel safe until whatever is scaring her stops being scary.

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I think that you are reading too much into this. Your child is young and children do this type of behavior, it's normal. Getting up at night, not wanting to go back to bed, pointing. I myself and had some toy noise as so has many other moms have I'm sure. lol I think the only thing that she is "sensing" is your negative feelings about something spiritual in her room. Hope you guys are not saying anything about this in front of your daughter about your feelings. Could really freak a child out.
C.

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well, yes, and i also think littles have an easier time perceiving them than crusty adults with all their preconceived notions. but i think it's wise to investigate all possible mundane explanations first.
apartments are rarely haunted. they just don't seem to be natural snuggle places for wraiths.
that being said, it might not be a bad idea to smudge the place, just in case!
khairete
S.

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Hi KT, I believe some people can 'feel' a spiritual presense that most of us can't.

But your baby is at a common age for clinginess too. Personally I think for now it's ok to follow her lead and do whatever it takes to have a peaceful night. Before too much longer (provided she knows you have her back) she'll go through a VERY independent stage!

(This may sound weird to some, but I believe we have a female spirit hanging out in OUR house as well, a friendly one, my daughter and I talk about it very pragmatically, we even named her Rose. The point is, you can take the 'scary' out of that feeling if you discuss it openly like you do every thing else!)

:)

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Maybe she is having nightmares or night terrors? My daughter had night terrors here and there. But only if she was up way past her bedtime and overly tired. But, I hear kids can get them all the time.
I have had several experiences where my kids toys would go off for no reason. Not sure why though. But that always creeps me out!
There have been a few instances where I thought I did have some paranomal experiences in my house. I'm still unsure though.
I know you may not want to know, but I have a friend that I work with that investigates this stuff. They have a group and they investigate for free. If you are interested, let me know and I will send you their website address!
Oh - and its in your area...

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has anything else occurred to make you believe that or is this the first incident. either way she is not comfortable with her room for some reason. doesnt matter if its a ghost or a bad dream. Id sleep with her for a while to get her comfortable with her room and it will give you an idea of what may be going on as well. good luck!

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I don't think she is seeing a ghost. I think she needs to be encouraged to sleep in her bed like a big girls. Those toys go off all the time, they drove me nuts when my kids were little, just take the batteries out. It sounds like you have a typical toddler who from one reason or another doesn't want to sleep in her bed, all 3 of mine did this. Keep putting her in her bed.

I do believe in ghosts but from what you are describing I doubt you have 1.

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Why does your husband think the apartment is haunted? Sounds like a weird thing to suggest unless he has some vibe that he isn't telling you about. I have never seen a ghost, but do believe that they are real. My cousin had a ghost appear at the side of her bed one night. He knelt down as if he was praying, and was dressed as if he lived in the 50's. She said she wasn't scared and she felt very calm....he got up from he knees and walked into a closet ....that was the last she every saw of him, but she has had one spooky dream since then and now she is very uncomfortable in her apartment. Push your husband for more answers as to what made him think ghost. Maybe you could change bedrooms with your daughter and see what happens......

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I totally beleive in ghosts. I also beleive and have read many times over that kids have a stronger ablitly to see them than adults, kids are not conditioned yet. Yes some of what you are saying is normal behavior but the pointing to the walls is what stuck with me. Bottom line it is possible...maybe or maybe not. So if it were me, I would go buy her a dream catcher and hang it above her bed.

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I have to agree with those who don't believe in ghosts. I think at 15 months her imagination is at work. Like the one Mom said, our TV has turned on by itself in the middle of the night and toys seem to have a mind of their own sometimes. These things happen.

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I may sound like a nut, but I do believe in the after life. Too many episodes have happened to me, which made me a believer. Some people sense things better than other people, and sometimes children can sense things better than adults. My fanily lived in a haunted house when I was growing up. We blessed the house and started changing the rooms by painting it a different color, which helped the situation.

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All I can say is DO NOT watch the Haunting on TLC. I do belive in ghosts and paranormal activity and that show has freaked me out. It could be why she is crying it could be something else. She could be at the age though where going somewhere away from you is scary, things like the closet are starting to be scary, under the bed etc. Or if she wakes up she is scared there could be a shadow on the wall during the night time. Ask her to show you what scares her I know she is a little young.

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I had an apartment years ago in Chicago that I truely believe was haunted. I think you would know if something was up - in my old apartment there were odd flowery smells and creaks, and the smoke alarm went off at 4:00 pm sharp everyday for no reason. As for your daughter's behavior it alls seems normal to me. My son is 4 and is still scared to be anywhere by himself because he is terrified of monsters and I know there are no monsters in our house.

As for the toys spontaneously turning on? We have had that too as well as our TV will sometimes goes on and off. I don't feel any presence in our house, sometimes things like that just happen.

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I believe in ghosts...try burning sage...I don't know how far you want to take it but I do know a physic and if she can't help perhaps she knows someone who can...just a thought...
http://www.spiritguiding.com/

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That's actually a pretty normal age for seperation anxiety. That may be a cause for not liking to be alone in her room anymore. My daughter went through a time like that at about the same time. She would actually climb out of her crib, we had to put her in a toddler bed after that. My daughter out grew it pretty quickly, although lately it's been happening again, she is now 2 and a half. The pointing is pretty normal for children as well. Also laughing at the walls, and gazing off into space. I don't really know a single child who hasn't gone through that little phase.
As for the toy, is it battery powered? Not to sound weird but one of my daughters Little People toys scared me to death one day from random music playing from it when no one was in the room with it and none of the buttons were stuck. It ended up the batteries were dying and that is one of the things that happens when the batteries start to die.

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Toys have been known to make sounds all on their own here also. I agree with the poster who said it is the batteries.

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