Ghost Stories

Last night, as we were watching TV before bedtime (because reading before bed is highly overrated), the front door blew open. A gust of wind just threw the door open and all of the children, except the one who had forgotten to completely close the front door, looked up in fear and surprise.


Imagine, if you will, watching a scary Halloween movie, and suddenly without warning, the front door bursts open and the howling wind fills the front room.


Except, we were watching Sofia the First, and I had told the errant child repeatedly and increasingly louder, to go back and shut the door.


So, the looks of, OMG what just happened?, and the cries of "Oh no, oh no!" were really funny.


Until the oldest, utilizing all of the wisdom of her scant 15 years, told the youngest that it was a ghost.


A GHOST!


This was the following conversation:


Child 1- It was a ghost! A ghost opened the door!
Child 5- What? What a ghost?
Me- Stop it now!
#5-What a ghost?
#1- You can't see a ghost, they are invisible. Something invisible just opened the door.
Me-Stop. Now.
#5- Invisible? What invisible?
#1- A ghost is invisible. It's a person that you can't see.
#5- What? You can't see? You can't see ghost?
#1- No, you can't see it, but it's there. It's a ghost. A ghost opened the front door.
Me- You need to stop.


Child #5 is looking very worried and scared. Child #1 realizing this tries to quickly ease her fears.


#1- It was Casper.
#5- Casper? Who Casper?
#1- Casper is a ghost, but he's friendly. He's really nice. He even has a dog.
#5- Casper ghost? He make dogs?
#1- No, he doesn't make dogs, he has a dog. But you don't have to be afraid, because Casper is super nice. He likes people.
#5- I no understand Casper. He make dog but he is ghost and invisible?
#1- Hang on, I'll show you.


Child #1 then walks away and comes back with a picture of, guess who, Casper the Friendly Ghost.
Awesome. Now we have a visual.


#1- See, this is Casper. He is really nice. He's not scary.
#5- This is Casper? But he is invisible?
#1- This is a picture of Casper. He's a ghost. If he was here you wouldn't be able to see him. But see, he's not scary. He's really nice.


And so my evening ended. With a very proud 15 year asleep in her own bed, and a very scared 7 year old, curled up next to me, elbow nestled into my spine, asleep in my bed.