I know my son began to be fearful of the dark around his preschool years, so we got a dinosaur night light that changes colors and started keeping the bathroom light on — you know, for him — which helps. When I asked why the dark is such a universal thing that children are afraid of, Dr.
Metcalf says, "Typically, young children fear what they do not understand. Naturally, there can be a specific occurrence that suddenly makes kids frightened of the dark," meaning siblings or kids at school telling them scary stories about monsters under their bed at night or the like. O'Neill agrees that sometimes children can develop the fear after an experience the child has had, but adds that "sometimes children will develop a fear out of nowhere.
When my son started telling me about his fear of the dark, I took him with me to pick out a special night light. He picked out a dinosaur light that changes colors, and he enjoys picking which color he would like each night before bed. Bonus: the light really does add a nice quality to his room. Metcalfe explains that parents can check in with kids every few weeks to see if they're ready to forgo the night light, and they should offer patience instead of frustration when dealing with a child's fears.
While the night light helped in our house, there are other things parents can do to make things a little easier at bedtime. Be patient. Be responsive to their needs. In contrast to the pitch black of shut eyes, the night light seemed quite bright in a dark room. Create sustainable sleep habits for your little lamb so the whole family can sleep peacefully without the stress, drama, and tears.
You know that feeling, right? Use them for nap times, meal times, bedtimes, chore times, play times AND more! When we did this, I helped my toddler understand why it seemed so dark. I made it a nightly tradition. Even now, months later, I use it on any child that feels nervous at bedtime and it works every time. Learn how to space naps, how many a day per age, best times, etc.
But perhaps just having a dim light during the routine would help as well? Lisiane, I definitely do that as well! Even one lamp instead of the whole room lit. Much easier on them. Awesome post. Thank you for sharing your trick. I currently have a seven year old who is afraid of the dark, monsters, ghosts, etc. I may try it on her, or my four old; both! Thank you! Rachel this is great! Thanks for another great article.
This is SO me!! It works with grownups, too. So when I turn them off, I stop and close my eyes for 10 seconds, and when I open them I can see my way to my room easily and safely.
The important thing is to have your eyes totally closed or totally covered so that they will dark-adapt, I do this anytime I am going into an area darker than where I have been. Thank you for sharing this! Hi Rachel, I found this article fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing! I super curious to know more information. Your toddler never used to mind hitting the sack with the lights off.
But all of a sudden, she wants you to keep the lights on in her bedroom — or she wakes in the middle of the night and is afraid of falling back asleep on her own. Things that go bump in the night are a normal part of everyday life to adults, but to toddlers they can be downright terrifying. In addition to a rich fantasy life, toddlers are more aware of the larger world and its dangers. They have longer memories than babies do, so a negative experience like falling off a swing may trigger a longer-lasting fear.
Changes a move to a new home, the arrival of a new sibling can also cause a child to feel insecure and afraid. Children are most often afraid of the dark starting at around the age of about 2 through the preschool years, although it can appear in older children as well.
A fear of the dark usually lasts for a few weeks to a few months. Someone Has Finally Found the Answer.
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