Samzilla

When Sam was about a year old, we discovered that, within minutes of entering a room, she could have it annihilated.

Toys strewn. Magazines and papers ripped down. Shredded tissues yanked from boxes. Knick-knacks teetering on their sides. Framed photos with wet Sammy kiss marks on the glass.

We called it a Samzilla attack.

Since she's 3, Sam's obsessed with monsters. Whether we're playing with stuffed animals, dolls in the dollhouse or her pirate puppets, a monster always makes an appearance. It growls, it roars, it makes the little toys scream "AAAAAAAAAA" in high-pitched voices and run, only to be snagged by the monster.

For a long time, one of the toys -- usually a bear -- played the monster role. Sometimes, the monster was imaginary, and I had to keep asking where it was so I knew which way to make my pink puppy or purple monkey run.

Now, Sam's always the monster. She growls, she roars, she makes the little toys -- and her mommy and daddy -- scream in high-pitched voices and run. And you never know when the Sammy monster will appear. Sometimes when she's pretending she's a dog or a cat or a horse, suddenly she'll bite my pants leg. Sometimes, when we're playing hide-and-seek, I'll find a teeth-gnashing Sammy monster lurking in the shadows.

Today, she came walking heavy-footed up the stairs, so I figured the Sammy monster was on the loose. As she opened the bedroom door, I started my fake scream.

Me: "AAAAAAA! There's a monster, there's a monster!"

Sam (in her I'm-hurt voice): "I'm not a monster. I'm just Sammy."

Me: "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were a Sammy monster."

Sam: "Don't be scared. You don't have to be afraid to the monster." (she always words it that way). "Here, it's OK. Look, I can even give you a hug."

About 30 seconds later, she followed me into the next room. When I asked what she was up to, she whispered, "I be the monster now."

I had to smile as I screamed and trotted from the room. My Samzilla is never gone for long.

What kinds of imaginary games do your kids play? How do you deal with fears of monsters or ghosts?