Bedtime fears — of the dark, monsters under the bed, and sleeping alone — are common for preschoolers. These are the years when your child’s imagination is exploding and they are imagining new and scary things to be afraid of. A good portion your child’s day is spent in fantasy play, in the company of dragons and dinosaurs and bad guys. At bedtime it can be hard for your child to shut off their imagination and go to sleep. Even familiar things that have never been scary before, like the darkened bedroom, suddenly seem frightening. Since your child is still learning to distinguish fantasy from reality, the possibility of an invisible creature under their bed seems quite real.
What can I do to help my child get over his night fears?
You may not be able to help your child completely resolve their fears right now (since it's mostly a stage they"ll have to grow out of), but there's a lot you can do to help them cope with their fears and get to sleep more easily. In the hours before bed, prep your child with happy, non-violent stories or videos. Establish a peaceful routine that you can practice every night — for example, a warm bath, a gentle story or a quiet song. Last but not least if you don’t mind having your child sleep with you for a while until their fears subside, don’t worry about it. At least everyone is happy and resting. Sweet Dreams!
April Kluttz, Family Support Specialist
No comments:
Post a Comment