Maya*

Jason* is four years old when I meet him for the first time. His preschool teacher is concerned about his wellbeing. He refuses to take a nap like all the other kids. Instead, he runs around, jumps over the other sleeping kids, giggles and can’t be convinced to lay down or at least being quiet. He acts out during class and once in a while would let his pants down in front of the other kids. His behaviour was (is??) disturbing and concerning.

I agree to meet him (before?) during nap time. I meet Jason a few times in his classroom and play with him and the other preschoolers. We fast have a good connection and I can take him out of the classroom while the other kids are getting ready for their nap.

I prepared (Präsens?) a friendly empty classroom with my toys, paper and markers. From now on we meet every day during nap time and Jason gets more confident (als vorher ? War er es nicht?). One day we are painting on the table when all of a sudden Jason gets really scared: the boogeyman was is? under the table, looking at him. When I come to see he says the boogeyman went behind the closet and he can see his eyeballs only. The eyeballs were are moving behind the closet.

I ask him details about the boogeyman, who is he, what is it all about? He tells me that the boogeyman is always present, following him. He is everywhere, also comes to his house, he hides under his bed and wouldn’t let him sleep. If he, Jason, wasn’t careful, the boogeyman would eat him. He first would pull out his eyeballs and eat them and then he would chew him slowly up.

He tells me that Nobody can protect him from the boogeyman. Then he goes back to his drawing and draws a red shape …etc

While he tells me about the boogyman he goes back to his drawing. He draws a red shape that looks like a rocket standing on the ground. I ask him about his drawing and he tells me that these are the private parts of the boogyman.

Sincerely alarmed I inform the director of the program and together with the Departement for Children and Families we investigate the case.

The mother, who was very collaberative when she heared about my concernes reported, that Jason could only sleep when she would sit next to his bed and he would several times wake up at night screaming. It was obvious that a four years old child couldn’t have knowledge of erected private parts if not exposed to them.

It turns out that Jason was abused by his uncle who was in their house for a visit. This trauma wouldn’t let him sleep, the uncle transformed for him into the boogeyman.

Jason needed to undergo a long term trauma therapy supported by medication and it took him a few years to be able to fall asleep alone.

Today Jason is a bright 9 year old, full of creativity and playfulness.

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