As a kid we all probably had something that terrified us that we might find silly as adults.
For some reason when I was a toddler, there was a Spanish comedian and ventriloquist named Jose Luis Moreno that had a black raven named Rockefeller who sounded pretty mean and scary. Watch the following video so you can get a feeling of his strange voice. The puppet’s voice still irritates me.
My parents, uncle, and grandma say I was fearless and not afraid of the normal things other kids are afraid of. I would walk around in the dark and actually hide and play games in the drak when other kids would rather not be in the dark.
Why I became scared of Rockefeller the Puppet
Nobody really knows why I was so scared of the puppet. My parents say that I might have been doing something mischievous near the TV when the puppet came out on the program. Not sure why I was left alone near the TV but I guess that is old style parenting and that might be the topic of another post.
Over the years, I was so scared of the Puppet that when anyone mentioned one his signature phrases which sounded like “Cate Nene” it would bring chills. When I was six or seven years old, they puppet appeared on a program and my parents had to shut off the TV because I became terrified once I saw the nasty puppet.
Using fear to get things done
Since a few of my family members knew that I was terrified by hearing the phrase “Cate Nene”, it became a habit that every time I did not want do something, like taking a shower, they would mention the phrase and next thing you know I was ready to go in the shower. I guess it worked perfectly for my family members it got me to do what I needed to get done.
Using Fear is not an Option
I came out fine (Well I think), but I know that I will not be using fear tactics to make my daughter take action on things.
I will look for ways where the communication is healthy enough that I can convey to my daughter the pros and cons. I know there will be times where too much explaining will not be an option and my daughter will just have to get things done because we are the parents and we said so (but I will use that only for certain situations).
What were you scared of as a kid?
Was it used against you in any way?
Oh I remmember that puppet. I was not scared of puppets but I was terrified of the dark. I remember leaving a light on every night when going to sleep. That fear is in the past now but still when there is a sudden blackout my heart jumps in my chest. Guess I’m still a little afraid of the dark, but just a little.
I have never been afraid of the Dark but I can say that I am afraid of heights… 🙂 and of course the nasty puppet on top. LOL Thanks for sharing!