Afraid of the dark?

[Matt's Mom in MT]

Anyone else dealing with a kiddo who is afraid of the dark? DS is 5 today, and for the past couple of days, he's been sleeping on the floor in our room because he says he's afraid of the dark. We have nightlights in his room, and it's never completely dark.

I don't have a problem with him sleeping in our room, but I can remember being terrified of the dark, and if I can help him not to be scared, I'd love to. Any advice?

[Mere]

Ds (3) has been sleeping with the lights on for some time now, although we turn them off after he's gone to sleep. Lately though, he's been waking up in the middle of the night, unable to go back to sleep because it's "too dark!" Like your son, it doesn't matter if we turn on a lamp, nightlight, etc. It's the full on room light (which won't work because he shares with dd) or nothing. At that point, he ends up in our bed with us. I'm assuming this is just a phase?

[FancyNancy]

i used to be scared of the dark when i was a kid, and oddly enough, my mom gave me a book about this little monster (it was a picture book) who was also afraid of the dark. i read it, loved it, and was never scared of the dark again. that might be an extreme case, but see if you can find a book out there to read him that might make it better. either that or an extremely bright night-light.

[bl987ue]

Get him a special sleep sack for your bedroom, and call it his "monster bag". He can come into your room and sleep whenever he needs, but he has to sleep in the monster bag. When my ds was smaller, I also would get a spray bottle of water with a tiny touch of my cologne in it that was my "monster spray". I would go into his room every night, spray the monster spray, and chant: "Monster spray, monster spray--all you monsters go away!" It became part of the nighttime routine for several months. It really is a good sign--he has developed an imagination and is using it. Night fears are completely normal for 4 and 5 year olds.