Vacuuming Woes

I would NEVER EVER threaten him with the vacuum cleaner if he's not doing something you or your husband want him to do. All that does is reinforces his fear. I'd seriously consider bipping my husband upside the head with the vacuum cleaner if he did something that cruel!

When I get ready to vacuum, I call out "Big Noise, Big Noise" so my boys don't get startled by the noise. I would also start the vacuum cleaner as far away from the kids as possible - so they wouldn't have to deal with a sudden loud noise right in their ears. My oldest went through a very brief period where he'd shriek about the vacuum - I think he was around two or three. I would let him know that he could wait in his room (and there wouldn't be anyone in there with him) and would just calmly go about my vacuuming. I didn't do anything that he could consider chasing him or following him. I just slowly and calmly vacuumed the floor. As soon as I was done, I'd say in a very bright voice, "All Done!"

It sounds like you're catering to his fears by babying him through something that has never and would never hurt him. It also sounds as though your husband is encouraging his fear by tormenting him with threats of the vacuum cleaner. (He's a lawyer, right? I'd tell him lawyers are supposed to be logical and this behavior is NOT logical.)

To get him over his fear, I'd leave the vacuum without with plugging it in and running it until he stops freaking out about it. Then, I'd make a point of pushing the vacuum around the house without turning it on. (I'd probably even "decorate" the vacuum by putting some ribbon and clothes and stuff on it - to make it look funny.) I would not say a single word to your son about the vacuum except to tell him what you're doing. ("I'm just going to push this silly looking vacuum cleaner around the living room - but the vacuum has a headache so he doesn't want to be loud today.") When you decide to turn the vacuum on, I'd give him advance notice in a very calm way ("Mommy is going to vacuum the living room and it's going to be loud. If the sound hurts your ears, you can go wait in your bedroom and I'll come and get you as soon as I'm done") but I wouldn't coax or argue. I'd just tell him what I was going to do. Then, I'd let him go to his room alone and would vacuum in a spot that is as far away from his room as possible and I would only vacuum a very small area. Then I would go to him and tell him that you knew he was a big brave boy and he did it! He's going to cry and get upset, but if he's a smart little guy he'll figure out very quickly that the vacuum isn't going to hurt him.

My three year old used to cry and scream the whole time I was vacuuming too! We turned it into a game, where I go first (she still jumps up onto the couch) then she gets to go over it with "her vacuum". I explained to her that her toys get dirty if we don't vacuum, and it also is a great motivator for picking her toys up so they don't get dirty or vacuumed..lol! I've also told her that there are "carpet bugs" that we need to get rid of, so she thinks it's funny that I'm "getting them!" When I vacuum.

It could be a hearing sensitivity, my husband has that problem and I think she's got it too, maybe offer him earmuffs or something to cover his ears while you're doing it?

My 6 and 2 year old are the same way. My oldest has always been that way and my younger got it from her.

What I do is say "Mommy needs to vaccumm right now, so get a book and come sit on the couch, orgo play in your room for a few minutes." No more screaming. My daughter is afraid it'll suck up her or her toys. I also let her "get" me with the vaccumm hose so she can see that it doesn't hurt. We also bought a smaller cheap little vac for her to use and this gets her use to the sound.

Don't ever put the hose on him though to show him because you'll make him more scared. Also, by threatening your son with vaccumming, you are teaching him that he has reason to fear it. Your husband is creating the monster.

omg i wish i had your problem... my son is obsessed with the vaccum. i have to hide it in the bathroom and everytime he sees it he freaks and wants to play with it. i even bought him his own. no. he wants mommys vacum. but i had a neice who was scared of the vaccum and at first i would hold her while i vaccumed which took a while.because shed freak out, then id turn it off and explain it only vaccumed up tiny things on the floor not little girls then id tell her i was going to turn it back on. and this went on for a while until she was comfterable with me holding her while vaccuming. Then once she was comfterable with that i held her hand and vaccumed that lasted a couple months then one day i just said maddy im turning the vaccum on and she just went on playing. and she was fine with it. i would also recomend to your husband not to use the vaccum as a way to get your little one to do something. that will only keep the fear alive in his mind.

My best friend had this problem with her 2 yr old son. I bought him a toy vacuum for his birthday (I found it at Target for $19.. Toys R Us has a few different ones). Now he LOVES his vacuum and HERS. May be worth a try.
Sorry I don't have more suggestions.
Good luck!

My middle was afraid of ALL battery operated things and any thing that made noise! She grew out of it but I only vacumed when she was out of earshot. Between vacuming you can sweep the carpet with fast hard strokes. This will help you get through!