If your child is misbehaving, and you happen to be in Florida, you might consider a rather unconventional approach: hiring a professional clown to scare them into submission. Meet Gloomy, a clown whose very presence is enough to send shivers down your spine. With a haunting mask featuring hollow black eye sockets and drooping skin, he claims to be your average clown, but his services tell a different story.
The Story of Gloomy
In a recent interview, Gloomy shared a story about being hired to frighten a 12-year-old boy who was acting out in school. The boy had a deep fear of clowns, prompting his mother to enlist Gloomy’s help, offering “a few hundred bucks” for his services. Gloomy recounted how he surprised the boy at the bus stop, causing him to burst into tears in front of his friends and run home. A few days later, the boy’s mother called to thank him, saying that whenever her son misbehaves, she simply asks, “Do you want Gloomy to come back?” One can only hope she’s also setting aside funds for his future therapy.
Gloomy’s Rise to Fame
Gloomy, a 65-year-old retiree who prefers to remain anonymous, admits this isn’t the first time he’s been asked to scare a child. In fact, he’s become something of a viral sensation, with numerous photos and videos of his eerie appearances circulating online. His fans even created a dedicated page to share sightings of him lurking around.
In his own words, Gloomy aims to “bring scary back” and shuns the typical balloon animal antics of traditional clowns. “When I was a kid, it was okay to scare kids,” he said, lamenting the current generation’s fearfulness. While Gloomy may be an entertaining character to have a drink with, using fear as a discipline tactic isn’t exactly the most effective strategy.
The Psychological Impact
Interestingly, a University of Sheffield survey uncovered that 100 percent of 250 children interviewed had a strong dislike or fear of clowns. For those children, hiring someone like Gloomy could trigger severe reactions, including nightmares and anxiety. While scaring a child into good behavior might seem effective in the short term, it doesn’t promote healthy lessons about respect and boundaries.
A Quirky Twist for Family Gatherings
That said, if your kids aren’t terrified of clowns and enjoy a good scare, Gloomy could add a quirky twist to your next family gathering — just make sure he stays away from any sharp objects! For more insights on unconventional parenting strategies, check out one of our other blog posts here. If you’re interested in at-home insemination options, you can visit reputable retailers like Make a Mom, which offers various fertility supplements. Additionally, for more information on pregnancy and home insemination, WebMD provides excellent resources.
Conclusion
In summary, while some parents may find humor in hiring a scary clown to instill discipline in their children, the long-term effects could be more damaging than beneficial. Understanding your child’s fears and finding healthier ways to address misbehavior may lead to better outcomes.
Leave a Reply