It was a typical Thursday evening when it all began. My family had gathered for dinner in the living room, engrossed in a Disney flick streaming on Netflix. My 2-year-old son, Oliver, decided to leave his cozy spot on our indoor blanket and come snuggle with me.
“Hey there, buddy,” I whispered, running my fingers through his beautiful curls. This time of day is my absolute favorite; he’s just tired enough to be extra cuddly but still lively enough to be delightful.
“Mommy,” Oliver murmured, “I think our little girl is sad.”
I instinctively placed my hand over the baby bump where his little sister was growing. We had just begun to introduce the idea that the bump was an actual human he would soon meet and play with. My heart melted at the thought of him connecting with his soon-to-arrive sibling.
“Aww, sweetie! Little sister isn’t sad. She’s thrilled to have an amazing big brother like you!”
But Oliver shook his head, casually munching on a chip. “No, Mama. Not Little Sister.”
Cue confusion. “Then which little girl is sad?”
Without missing a beat, he replied, “The little girl who sleeps in our house.”
Excuse me? My child was only 2. There’s no way he picked this up from a kids’ show, and although he was a creative little guy, I doubted he made this up.
Then things took a turn for the worse. Oliver pointed behind the chair where my husband was sitting and added, “Right there, with the red eyes.”
Dear heavens.
In that moment, I experienced a wave of panic sweeping over me. I felt the sudden urge to gather our belongings, set a match to everything, and flee to a new city. Who cares if we just bought our dream home? There’s no stove or refrigerator worth living with a ghost child sporting red eyes.
What do you do when your kid drops a bomb like this? I quickly wrapped up our picnic and carried Oliver to bed. Then, I went downstairs to Google “how to get rid of ghosts,” which provided a mixed bag of amusing, helpful, and downright terrifying advice from the internet.
First, I had to rule out non-paranormal explanations. Check. We didn’t live near a dumpster, so raccoons weren’t scratching at our roof every night. Even if they were, I didn’t think Oliver would confuse that noise with a ghost.
Next, the internet suggested making friendly contact with the spirit. While I consider myself open-minded, I must admit I have a slight bias against red-eyed apparitions. So, friendly conversation was off the table. That left me with option No. 3: Exorcism.
As a child of the ‘80s, I’d seen the horror movies and had the nightmares. No thanks.
For about an hour, I scrolled, read, and shook my head at the lack of credible advice for “Red-Eyed Ghost Child in My Living Room.” I even stumbled upon a thread about essential oils (because, of course), but even the most enthusiastic oil advocates had no solution for this undead dilemma. I thought those things cured everything!
Feeling overwhelmed and anxious about sleeping in a house possibly inhabited by a ghostly child, I resorted to the most desperate maneuver a parent can make: I consulted Facebook.
Imagine the level of desperation it takes to post something like, “Hey, everyone! My child just saw a demon girl in the corner of our living room. Any advice?” But I was that desperate, so I hit “Post.”
To my surprise, responses began flooding in almost immediately. It turns out, I was not alone. Many parents shared their own stories of children seeing spirits, from post-funeral encounters to historic hauntings. One mother recounted how her 3-year-old twins had a tea party with a woman named Magdalina—who just happened to be their late great-grandmother. The twins, who had never heard the name before, invited her to sit down and poured her a cup of her actual favorite tea: vanilla rose.
As I read these anecdotes, I felt a sense of relief knowing I wasn’t alone in this unsettling experience. Inspired by the stories, I delved into the history of our 100-year-old home. Interestingly, there had once been a little girl who lived here in the early 1900s. Seriously. She even had red eyes. Just kidding—that didn’t happen.
Over the next six months, Oliver continued to mention the “red-eyed girl” he called “Night Night Angel,” which made everything even creepier. Fortunately, once our daughter was born, the Night Night Angel seemed to vanish. This could mean anything, but I’m choosing to see it as a positive sign and not dwell on the other scary possibilities.
In conclusion, I had no idea kids could possess such an uncanny ability to see spirits. Since it’s evidently a thing, I feel it’s my duty to share this information with you before your family’s cozy movie night is interrupted by a poltergeist, prompting you to make drastic decisions. You are not alone in this. I’d love to hear your experiences!
And by the way, if anyone is interested in a lovely historic house for sale in the Coastal Southeast, ours is now listed. Just putting that out there. Night Night Angel, anyone?
For more insights on this topic, check out this article from Modern Family Blog. Additionally, if you’re looking for resources on pregnancy and home insemination, Women’s Health offers excellent information.
Summary
In a humorous yet chilling account, the author shares their experience of discovering that their young son can see ghosts, particularly one with red eyes he calls “Night Night Angel.” Through a series of comical and frightening events, the author learns they’re not alone in this phenomenon, as many parents report similar experiences. The tale underscores the eerie idea that children may have a unique ability to perceive spirits, while also providing a sense of camaraderie among parents facing the same unsettling situation.