Three-year-old loves her 'creepy' Halloween store doll and Disney embraced her in the best way
Creepy Chloe for the win.

Briar adores "Creepy Chloe" and insisted on taking her to Disney World.
Kids are funny little humans, aren't they?
Every kid has their own quirks, especially when it comes to things they get attached to. While most children have favorite toys, dolls, blankets and so on, some kids glom onto something unexpected—or even outright odd—as their go-to security object.
Case in point: "Creepy Chloe," the terrifying Halloween doll.
Britanny Beard, mom to 3-year-old Briar, shared how her daughter had chosen a doll with cracked skin and black eyes from the Spirit Halloween store in a post on Facebook.
"This is what it looks like when you take your 3-year-old to the Spirit Halloween store and she absolutely insists on buying the creepiest baby doll you’ve ever set eyes on," Beard wrote.
"She said, 'But I’m its mommy and it needs me!' Briar named the doll Chloe and I then immediately nicknamed her Creepy Chloe. I’m pretty sure Creepy Chloe is stealing my soul when I sleep," she added.
Beard shared that their family went to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Briar insisted on bringing Chloe—fully decked out in a Disney princess dress.
"Because creepy babies need Disney magic too I guess?" Beard wrote. Briar has a Haunted Mansion cast member dress, so Beard had her wear it to go with the Creepy Chloe "theme."
Beard shared three delightful encounters they had at Disney that day due to Creepy Chloe.
One:
"While eating breakfast at the Grand Floridian cafe, they brought out the cast member pastry chef to meet Briar and Creepy Chloe because apparently she loves all things spooky. She said she adored that Briar loved the doll and at the end of the meal, she surprised Briar with an amazing spooky cupcake and a mini handmade chocolate Haunted Mansion poster. It was actually really sweet!"
Two:
"Then we walked over to Magic Kingdom where Briar had a photoshoot with Creepy Chloe. The photographer was eating it up and kept coming up with posing ideas for Chloe. I’m sure it was quite an unexpected change from her usual never-ending line of glittery Bippity Boppity Boutique princesses!"
Three:
"Then we of course ventured over to the Haunted Mansion. There was a 50-minute wait to get on the ride but when they saw Briar, they immediately whisked her away into the secret 'Servants Quarters' where we got to see the keys to all rooms and the bells that ring to call the servants up. Then they popped us right out into the stretching room. The cast members were waiting for us when the doors opened to present us with official Haunted Mansion Caretaker certificates and to walk us right onto the ride. It was so magical!"
Disney really does know how to lean into a child's imagination and create truly magical experiences. (Did anyone else not know there was a whole Haunted Mansion backstage thing kids could do? Honorary Caretaker? Amazing.)
Some kids love all things scary and spooky, and they deserve just as much make-believe magic as the kids who love fairy tales and princess stories. What a wonderful way to encourage a child in their own unique choices.
Creepy babies need love, too.
Photo courtesy of Brittany Beard
"So all in all," Beard concluded, "I guess the moral of the story is when your 3-year-old throws a fit over absolutely needing a super creepy Halloween doll… buy the doll. Creepy Chloe might be stealing my soul while I sleep, but we are making the best of our time left over here! "
Beard's post has been shared more than 8,000 times as people share their admiration and/or fear of Briar's unusual doll.
"I’ve honestly been blown away by the positive response of so many thousands of people to this story," Beard tells Upworthy. "I never would have guessed that Briar’s obsession with Creepy Chloe would have touched so many people, but here we are!"
Her adoration of Chloe really should be celebrated. Creepy babies need love too, after all.
- Former preschool teacher reveals funny stuff kids say - Upworthy ›
- Comedy writer dad shares the funniest things his kids say - Upworthy ›
- Jimmy Fallon asked people to share why their family is weird ... ›
- Family recreates iconic 'Stranger Things' scene for Halloween - Upworthy ›
- Haunted house's hidden camera makes terror look hilarious - Upworthy ›
- Yes, I still take my teen trick-or-treating, costume and all - Upworthy ›
- Dad drives 1,000 miles to Disney World last minute - Upworthy ›
12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.