Help - my son is petrified of candles and his birthday is soon!

We've been working on the blowing which he kind of gets. So yesterday I introduced the actually candle since his birthday is in 2 weeks and I figured it would be cute if he could blow them out. He FREAKED! I introduced them again today and he did it again. I've never seen him so scared before.

Do you think I should just nix the whole candle thing on his birthday and avoid scarring him for life OR continue to keep sensitizing him to them over the next few days? DH and I have been singing Happy Birthday and blowing them out and clapping (which usually gets DS going) but he doesn't seem to be into it.

I guess if he's that afraid of them I shouldn't torture the kid but then again i feel like I could probably work with him to understand the concept.

Re: Help - my son is petrified of candles and his birthday is soon!

I say nix them. Candles aren't important.

Re: Help - my son is petrified of candles and his birthday is soon!

i agree that they're not important.

HOWEVER, now after I posted this I heard him rummaging around in the kitchen. he grabbed the box of candles off the counter and was playing with them. So I sang HB without the candle lit and he was fine. I'm thinking I might be able to do this!

Re: Help - my son is petrified of candles and his birthday is soon!

You can totally nix the candle lighting and just use the candle as a "prop".

Re: Help - my son is petrified of candles and his birthday is soon!

i agree with the other posters.....you dont want him freaking out during cake time, poor little guy.

Maybe just use them as a prop in the cake and go through the motions of blowing them out but dont actually light them??