There are few things more frustrating than not being able to get things done because of your kid, but some are blessings in disguise, like when your baby is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. OK, it's not so much a blessing because your little one is seriously terrified, but isn't it nice to have an excuse not to clean?
If your baby is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, don't fret too much. It's totally normal. Dr. Ari Brown told Parents that because babies have such an immature nervous system, they "can't handle certain sensory input" such as loud noises. If you thought it was simply the fear of a robot-like thing eating up all of your toddler's goldfish crumbs, not so much. Have you ever noticed that your child is still screaming and crying even if the vacuum cleaner is nowhere near them? The loud noise is to blame in those situations.
However, once your child hits about five months, the fear can change. According to What to Expect, they begin to understand the concept of object permanence, which means they realize that things exist even if they're out of sight. So while you may be able to get away with vacuuming in the other room because they can't see that demon machine, your little one may now understand that the vacuum cleaner still exists and could come back at any moment.
It's just a phase your little one will grow out of, but it can definitely be hard to manage. If you really need to get some cleaning done, here are five ways to help ease your child's fear of the vacuum.