Need help--how have you dealt with kid's nightime fears?

[melk]

My youngest, 3, is having a horrible time waking up at night and being afraid. She saw E.T. at her cousins house and is terrified that he is in her room!

The thing is when she wakes up she is half out of it so you can't reason with her, I just usually stay until she goes back to sleep. But even when she wakes up in the morning, she sits up in bed and screams for me, she's so afraid, even though her room is bright. Now it's getting that she doesn't want to go upstairs alone because "he's up there."

Any advice out there? We just keep trying to reassure her that she's o.k., he's not real, etc...

Thanks for your help!! (Guess we'll be skipping the E.T. ride at Universal )

 

[onecoolmama]

TBH - I have horrible nightmares and there are times that I wake up screaming. (Not from ET though

My oldest went through this (he is 3 also) and I did two things. If I couldnt get him to calm down, I woke him up and gave him some warm milk and talk to him about it. If he seemd to be able to start to calm down, I rubbed his back and snuggled until he could calm down.

If neither of those worked, and sometimes they didnt, I took him in our bed.


The bottom line is, you need sleep too. So whatever gets that for you and your child the best is what I would do.

Good luck! And I really hope you get a good night sleep soon and your baby's nightmares cease.

 

[CyranoJones]

We had a very special bottle of extra-strength monster spray. I bought a spray bottle and made a fancy label, then filled it with rosewater. I would spray the room when she went to bed and if she woke up. It was that little edge she needed and then she went back to sleeping through the night without fears or nightmares.

 

[phillybeth]

Try a spray bottle decorated with stickers and filled with water and maybe a little bit of glitter. Call it Monster Spray, and any time she gets afraid spray her room with it to keep the monsters away. Let her keep it with her at night, that way if she wakes up and she is afraid, she can use the Monster Spray to take control of the situation herself.

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh man...this could be a page from our life!! Dd, now 10, had a terrible problem with sleep and nightmares/terrors at about the same age. Still has somewhat of a problem but I think it's just going into puberty that's getting to her now. Anyway...she was so bad, that I finally had to sleep on her floor! I made up a pallet sort of thing with a pad and sleeping bag. Not horribly comfy but at least we both got some sleep. It took about 2 weeks but she did get better. Daddy had a spray bottle with just plain ole water in it. He used to spray Kate's closest, under her bed, in her bathroom with it to 'kill any monsters'. Seemed to help. We also read the book 'Go Away Big Green Monster' a lot. Very cute book. Good luck with it. It does get better but it can be a long haul.

 

[onecoolmama]

I shoudl say my son had them at 18months, then for about 6 months when he was 2 and then again earlier when he turned 3. If you really feel like it has been going on for over a week and you are just exhausted...benedryll.

 

[melk]

Thanks everyone,
I have read to try the idea of the spray bottle. The only thing with that is I kind of feel like I'm telling her "Yes, E.T. is in here, but if you spray this at him, he'll leave you alone." Do you know what I mean? Did anyone else feel this way? (Of course, I still may give this a try!)

 

[phillybeth]

No no no, the Monster Spray KEEPS the monsters from coming in the room- they don't like the smell

 

[issa]

as far as telling her there ARE monsters there...


she belives thier are monsters..she belives they are VERY real. and yet there is no issuse telling her thoughts and fears are groundless...

to her ..its real, she is powerless..AND no one belives her..so even if somthing did happen...you wouldnt belive her. you bet shes scared.


The spray bottle empowers her....she doesnt need your power anymore..she has her own..she can protect her self and she doesnt feel so alone and vunerable.

I went through the same thing with my daughter. I made a point of walking around that day of finding a bug in the house (i planted a couple) and acting like it was terrible..and getting the "bug spray to kill it (sorry bugs)....I then went to put on bug repellent..to keep bugs away of course. She knew these things worked and saw me belive in thier realness.

So I then left that evening with a 2 small screw on vial in my pocket. came back from the store and said. Well...i guess others belive in monsters too...look what I found
at the store..monster spray and monster repellent.

The spary was lavander water - the repellent was watered down version of my perfume.

we made two squirt bottles up. before she went to bed I sprayed her lightly with the repellent. and she headed off to bed with the monster spray. *edit* I made comments about if i sprayed the bug spray the bugs couldnt go in that spot for 3 months..."look..it says right on the label !!!" so of course the same held true for monsters.

If needed I would "pre spray" under the bed..behind the door..the closet ect. but often just haveing the spray was enough. she out grew it and was fine


good luck

 

[melk]

issa,
I guess that makes sense, that no matter what I say, he's real to her. I guess I may go out today and look for "Anti-E.T. Spray"

 

[Kteacher]

we did the spray thing as well when my DD was younger. I went to B&BW and found a linen spray that was called something like "sweet dreams". It worked for her Good luck, and let us know how she's doing

 

[leahannpen]

I'm going through something similar too. DS is 3. He is afraid of the dark and thinks monsters are trying to get him. He "sees" something outside his window...he sees "flashing lights" outside his window...the Mickey mural on his wall...they eyes move...etc.

It's hard to reassure them when they only hear what they want. I make sure to check under the bed and out the window and some nights, we just keep the hall light on for him.

It's just a phase and I'm sure it'll pass, but if it keeps up, I'll try the monster spray also! Good luck to you!

 

[TerryKitten]

Along w/ a spray bottle idea I was reading that having them wear a particular color pjs...

"I hear monsters cant see you if you wear ______".

Don't know if that works because my little one hasn't reached that age yet, but I thought it was a good idea.

 

[browneyes]

I told my kids' about Dream Catchers and I bought each of them one.