Son being scared of "zombies" and the toilet, help!

[Tausha87]

My 5 year old is very intelligent, and rational. He will explain to me how things work and why all the time, so when he developed this fear of Zombies upstairs and monsters in the dark I was so confused to how this came about. He has never had a problem sleeping in his own bed, never afraid to walk upstairs to use the bathroom in the dark alone, or need a night light, etc. Now, he has to have a night light, the door wide open, and refuses to go pee or poo at all unless i'm upstairs with him. He started this shortly after coming back home from a week and a half 'vacation' at my mother in laws, (who teaches preschoolers his age and raised 3 kids of her own), and it hasn't improved at all. I called her and talked to her and my sister in law if they noticed any of this behavior there, and they didn't. He was normal, happy, fine, went potty alone, etc. Since he's been back however, he has at least 4 times gone pee NOT in the bathroom. For a week straight he would not go upstairs alone, not even in daylight, to go pee or poo no matter how badly he needed to go. I would find him watching tv, grabbing his thing and doing a little potty dance, but when i told him to go pee he just said he didn't need to go, or needed me to come with him. I don't understand exactly why he's suddenly scared this badly (no movies, games, etc have been played or seen here with him). Also, as a result of not wanting to go upstairs alone, he peed on the floor in the doorway from the downstairs living room to the stairway hall(room). We scolded him and sent him to his room, and explained why he has to pee in the toilet and what the consequences would be if we caught him peeing anywhere but the toilet again. A few days later he seems to be improving somewhat on the zombie issue, though still takes any opportunity to go pee whenever I head upstairs, though he does go by himself now and then. Yesterday, in the hallway outside the bathroom I smell really strong pee and see that he's peed in the vent and there was a puddle of dried pee on the floor. I asked why he did it and he just replies "I'm too lazy" or "I was just being crazy." or "I dont' want to go to the bathroom alone." He got tv priveleges taken away for the rest of that day. Today, I walk past the same vent he peed in before and smelled pee again, but couldn't find any. I go into the guest bedroom just past that, and it was so strong. I calmly brought him in and asked "Where in this room did you pee?" At first he kept lying, and saying he didn't do it (he's my only child so i KNEW he did it), so I kept asking calmly "where in this room did you pee?" finally after about the 5th time I asked, he points to a pile of blankets on the floor, and then in the corner of the closet. When I ask him why he couldn't use the toilet (Which was literally three steps away), he still replies, I don't want to go in the bathroom. Tonight he lost his bedtime snack and movie time, and we ended up having a long talk about the toilet, zombies, etc. and he promises not to go anywhere but the toilet again and will tell me if he's too scared to go alone rather than pee on the floor. I'm not entirely sure if he's actually scared (we've lived in this house for over a year and he's seen scary movies with no scares then), or if he's just acting up or using it as an excuse (do 5 year olds have that kind of reasoning?). Anyways I am just so frustrated he's even doing this at all, he's never been a timid or scared child and potty trained easily at 3. He's had ONE accident since 3, until this started up. ANyone else experiencing this currently or have a solution? I appreciate any help!!

[margypops]

Soory but if your husband watches Zombie movies and your son is concerned , I would look no further , find out whats happening ... have a stern word with who ever is allowing him to see them ...

[Tausha87]

He watches tv with us, just normal shows like history channel, cartoon network (scooby doo zombies maybe?) and other shows like that. we don't allow him to watch anything not age appropriate and he has a big selection of movies he can watch like Disney, and others. My husband does watch Zombie movies but not with my son in the room or nearby. I am thinking he got scared because my mother in law, and my two sister in laws probably let him watch whatever he wanted or watched a zombie movie/show. We actually just moved and we haven't had one accident since the move. He iis happier, talks and plays much more, and hasn't peed anywhere that isnt' the toilet for two weeks now. (we've only been here two weeks). It's amazing the change that occurred in him from it- this house is all one level so I'm pretty close no matter where i am, and he doesn't even feel the need to be right next to me anymore. Something had happened in that other house- I'm not sure what, or why he associated Zombies and creepy toilets with the old house, but those fears did not carry over... It's just so weird!

[margypops]

What TV does he watch, has he any older siblings, family talk about zombies? children do not come up with this kind of thing out of the blue he has learned it from someone in my opinion.