Nighttime Fears
The Big Picture: Fears at nighttime are normal for a young child. Dreams are a way of working out problems.
Things to do:
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Talk to your child about the source of their fear. Was it something they saw on TV, heard a grownup talking about or heard in a storybook? Sometimes things are misunderstood by children and cause great fear.
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Reassure the child. Remember these fears are real for your child.
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Talk with your child about night sounds and identify what they are.
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Leave a flashlight by the child’s bed.
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Allow the child to help search the room to see it is safe. Join them in looking under the bed and in the closet
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For small children have a “teddy bear” or some favorite animal stand guard on the dresser.
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Have the child draw a picture of the monster and put it in the garbage with a brick on the top of the can until the garbage man takes it away.
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Use a feather duster to dust away the monster tracks.
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Make up a story similar to the bad dream and have your child make up a happy ending.
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Leave the bedroom door open a crack.
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Leave a night light on in the hall or in the bedroom. Be careful of shadows with lighting.
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If your child has nightmares, see if there is a pattern of what he or she eats before going to bed and when the nightmares take place.
Read
All By Myself by Anna Grossnickle Hines, Clarion, 1984 – Here is a gentle bibliotherapy for preschoolers – one night Josie goes to the bathroom in the dark all by herself. Hooray!
Gargoyles –This delightful book tells about the Gargoyles duty to watch over and protect us while we sleep.
