[hollysmama]

About a week ago DD had a bad dream and after that she didn't want to sleep in her bed so I slept in the spare bed with her in the spare room for the rest of the night. But now because of this dream she is scared of her room and she's waking quite a few times a night and coming into our room saying she doesn't want to sleep in her bed. I don't want her in the bed with us as I don't get a good night's sleep and neither does DH. I just want her to feel comfortable in her room again. It's never been an issue before. Any ideas on how I can make her room feel safe again? I'm so tired

[winkywonkeydonke...]

night light?

put a mattress on the floor in her room and sleep in there for a few nights . that has worked for me before.

[hollysmama]

I have tried the light, but she still gets up. We don't have a spare mattress, I might get one and sleep in her room if it means I'll get sleep.

I have tried spending more time with her in her room before bed trying to show her there' nothing to be afraid of, and tried turning a light on outside her room, but she's still scared. She even told me tonight she's been getting up and sleeping on the couch!

This post has been edited by hollysmama: 24/11/2012, 08:15 PM

[nic188]

We have just been having this issue. Her dad now checks her room where ever she wants, so under the bed, behind the door, in the cupboards etc. He has to check for scaries (as she calls them) just before she goes to bed and he puts a toy lion and a tiger under the bed and they protect her and scare everything away. She now sleeps all night in her room

The other option i have heard works is you get a spray bottle of water, which is a magic spray that keeps everything away.

Just some ideas that work for us. Hope you can find something that works for you.

[123tree]

I saw on Super Nanny one night the grown up went into the bedroom and asked the kid what were the scary toys. Then they took them all out of the room. Then they got a torch and turned off the lights and asked the kid what were the scary shapes. Then they used the torch to point to them and put them out too. So then the kid was happier going to bed.

My nephew was scared of monsters until someone told him monsters were scared of ducks. If he thought a monster was coming or was in his room he would just quack and then the monster would leave very quickly.

The problem I have with "checking" for monsters is that maybe then the child would think that even Mum and Dad think they are real. However every child is different and if it works then it works.

[adl]

I suffered bad nightmares etc as a child...and some carried into adulthood as well..so I do feel for your DD... It is terrifying and hard to articulate....


But I agree with PP about finding what is scaring her and there are some great suggestions ...I have heard using dream catchers as special traps for bad dreams and they only let nice dreams in????

[rob6712col]

We have had that too but found "monster" spray worked a treat. We actually used the non smelling fly spray, told her it only worked when it was dark in the room and then sprayed around the window, under her bed, a light spray over the bed and around the door. She liked the sound of the can being shaken with the little ball inside.

We then had "monsters in my eyes". This was harder but I ended up getting some saline eye drops at the chemist and these were monster drops to keep the monsters away. These also worked great.

Sometimes my kids just like to sleep with the light on and if this makes them sleep and are happy then so am I.

[Just Another Cat]

The problem I have with "checking" for monsters is that maybe then the child would think that even Mum and Dad think they are real. However every child is different and if it works then it works.

This is my thought too. Same with the spray.

A few weeks ago DD told DP that there were monsters in her wardrobe, so he opened the door and 'scared' them away. It didn't help. The next night she screamed when he tried to put her to bed, so she ended up sleeping in our room.

The next night I sat on her bed with her, she protested a bit, but then we just chatted. We talked about all the good things she did that day, just positive things. She did bring up monsters coming into her room, so I said 'who? Cookie Monster or Elmo?' (She loves Sesame Street), she thought for a second and then said something about Cookie Monster and how he was her friend. We read a few stories and she went to bed fine that night.Kids this age are so impressionable, try and make the scary thing a nice thing.

We also put away scary type books (like anything with a 'bad' character), and try to just talk about nice things before she goes to bed.

Good luck OP, when we had this trouble with DD I searched EB for help and there were a lot of topics on it, I think it's quite common for this age.

This post has been edited by GrumpyTurtle: 26/11/2012, 07:57 PM

[LibbyCo]

My niece had a similar situation, she'd often wet the bed. Comfort and acknowledgement is key as often the child feels vulnerable and insecure. Let her know its safe, stay with her and just be present where possible. Get some cheap mattress toppers too that are machine washable to spare her blushes if she also soils the bedwear