Bogeyman

An artist's picture of a Bogeyman who has come to take bad children away

The Bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary monster who is often used by parents to make sure that their children always behave.

The Bogeyman is often said to take naughty children away in a sack and never bring them back. Some parents may tell their children that if they misbehave, the bogeyman will come and get them. Bogeymen may target a specific mischief — for instance, a bogeyman punishes children who suck their thumbs and constantly misbehave.