Afraid of the dark :(

Amanda - posted on 11/18/2012

Most kids are afraid of the dark. Some adults are too. We are programed to be scared of what we can't see so the dark can be really scary. I let my son watch Monster Quest. Sounds weird but it is about animals. I did make sure that it was never about things like the Jersey Devil, or anything that can be found around us. But he loved it and started to say that monster are big animals that live in the ocean or forest and we don't live there. He isn't afraid of monsters anymore but still the dark because he did have issues when he was about two of someone visiting him during the day and night. For that I had him stand up and yell at it and tell it to go away my house you leave now. He would yell it and it stopped, trust me I saw it too. Away some kids need to be refocused. You can find monster quest online. They have one about big foot and one about the giant squid also dinosaurs so she might think like my son that monsters are animals that don't hurt people. You may want to watch it first to make sure they don't say people die or go missing. Another one my son liked was Destination truth because they never found the so called monster so it became a legend. All I did was explain what a legend was and he was good. Oh he got brave and watched Ghost Hunters one day and I told him that person is funny to hide and play tricks on the hunters. He said I guess they need to get new jobs, cause ghosts aren't really they are just people in a bed sheet. Its amazing how the mind of a child can work!

KayLea - posted on 11/14/2012

My niece is and it turned out to be there was a ghost in the house that is bothering her there getting there house blessed

Esther - posted on 11/08/2012

My 3 1/2 yr old grand daughter is afraid if the dark, she never use to be afraid if nothing. Now shes afraid of Madagascar, and other cartoon movies, she won't go in any room if it's dark, she doesnt like doors open if it's dark in that room. It breaks my heart to see her so afraid, she says there are monsters and something tickling her back the other night. She wakes uo in the middle of the night crying for me but won't come off her bed bc it's dark in the halway and in my room. How can I help her overcome this horrible fear?

Samantha - posted on 05/31/2010

My daughter started talking about monsters and has a nightlight since she was about 2 1/2 years old.
I have no idea where she got this monster thing from but I just told her that they are not scary and everytime she mentions them I ask her where they are and she says that they are gone so I talk about how they cant hurt her and are her friends. She has never really been scared but just doesnt like the dark anymore, just keep telling your kids that there is nothing to be afraid of and that you are always there for them and also that whatever you believe in will be there to look after and protect them :)

Tonya - posted on 05/31/2010

We went through that with our granddaughter. I gave her one of those kid flash lights. We walked together in the dark and I showed her that there wasn't anything in the dark to be afraid of. The flashlight also came with those changeable discs that has walt disney characters on them. You suppose to shine the light on the wall and you can see the disney characters on the wall. Sometimes, I would get my flashlight and she would get hers and we would walk around shining our light on stuff. I would talk to her about the light. The light is like Jesus. With Jesus light, we can see things in the dark. Jesus love is so bright that the bad things (monsters) run away.
Maybe you can add more to the flashlight to show that it's like Jesus and when we don't have that flashlight (Jesus), we are afraid. We have to have Jesus in our lives to fight the enemy (monsters). And with the flashlight (Jesus) we can beat the enemy.
Hope that will help.

Theresa - posted on 05/02/2010

I have night lights for my daughter.

Becky - posted on 05/01/2010

My daughter is the same.. We have tried many different nite lights but she never really like any. But for christmas she got a string of lights and we wrapped that around her window frame and she loves them. Every night before bed she turns them on and falls to sleep.

Stephanie - posted on 04/30/2010

You should try reading her "The bedtime rhyme" by Walter Wangerin Jr...My daughter loves it!!!Its a great book that talks about you protecting your child when there sleeping....Heres a little bit of the end so you can get an idea....FASTER THAN I AM AND HIGHER THAN STARS STRONGER THAN YOU ARE IN BOTH OF YOUR ARMS HERE IN YOUR ROOM ALL NIGHT WHILE YOUR SLEEPING KINDER AND WISER AND BEST FOR SAFEKEEPING IS GOD....Its a really good book and it helped my daughter with her monsters...Good luck!

Callie - posted on 04/25/2010

The stars on the ceiling thing really is great. We did that with our girl. As part of her
night-time routine we got a flashlight & shined in on the stars to activate them. We would sing twinkle twinkle little star as the flashlight "woke" them us for the night. "Let's wake up our star friends!"

Callie - posted on 04/25/2010

Does she know the song, "God is bigger then the boggie-man"? Veggie tales video. It's wonderful! You could also take her on a "Mommy date" because she is such a "big girl" & let her pick out a special night light (princess, mickey, . . .) Make a big deal about the new light. Play in her room with only it on so she gets use to the dim atmosphere. They always play in their rooms with the lights on, but they associate night time & a dark room with going to bed. That's no fun. I remember that as a child.
Practice sending her in her room several times during the day when it's light out to get things then send her at night to get the same things. Let her know that her room is completely the same during the day as it is at night. Nothing changes except the light.

Catie - posted on 04/09/2010

My daughter is scared of the dark too, we have glow in the dark stars all over her room, and now she is fine with it unless we aren't home when night comes then she uses my cell phone for a night light in the car.

Jackie - posted on 04/05/2010

My son was afraid of monsters when he was four. We gave him a torch and when he went to bed he would look around the room or get us to check everywhere before he went to bed. He would then put the torch in bed with him. This only lasted about four weeks and it just stopped.

Athena - posted on 04/04/2010

I thank EVERYONE for their replies! :) They were very helpful!

Kudirat - posted on 04/03/2010

My daughter will be 3yrs old in May 9th. I always have the lamp on at night my daughter still tell me there is monster on her bed she started this few weeks ago then i was thinking she get the word MONSTER from crèche

Jacqui - posted on 03/29/2010

We watched monsters inc yesterday, it was about friendly monsters. There is a scene where the little girl has the door closed - I told my son, "little girl has door closed" and now he closes his door again at night! I also told him dark is his friend, it's not naughty cause it helps you go to sleep. this seems to be working so far... touch wood. I also found him screaming at night was not the dark at all. He just wanted to go do a wee, he seems to be getting out of nappies at night by himself but is just to tied to say "wee wee's!" Hope this helps you to. :)

Tami - posted on 03/29/2010

They have great and fun flash lights these days just for kids. They the kids have control of the light and if they leave it on all night, so be it. (I would not recommend the flashlights that make sound for middle of the night issues).

Tracy - posted on 03/28/2010

I had the same thing happen about a few months ago, and I just tell Dez that there is nothing there and if she would like I could go and check for her. So then I would go into her room and open the closet and say " oh look nothings in there, just the clothes", then I would have her come over and look too. After a few nights, and a small night light we haven't had any more problems. If she did ask again, I would tell her don't you remember, we already checked every where and there is nothing that can get you! I hope that helps.

Terri - posted on 03/28/2010

Yes we are going through the same thing and I am needing help with it also! Need some advice on what to do.

Angela - posted on 03/27/2010

My daughter will be 3 in May and has and is going through the same thing. She will not go in her room if it is dark and she wakes up screaming sometimes. She told us one time that she had monsters in her closet. We don't even know where she learned the word monsters! We got her a night light which helps some but she will not lay in her bed and go to sleep by herself. I have to lay down with her untill she falls asleep. If she wakes up in the middle of the night she runs to my bedroom. I usually always hear her when she wakes up but there has been twice that I didn't and when I did wake up she was asleep in the floor beside the bed curled up. I'm not realy sure what else to do either. She also has night terrors some night. That is where they scream out in there sleep at night but doesn't fully wake. Sometimes I can soothe her to calm down but she gets so loud it about makes me jump out of my skin. My poor baby. The doc said it was something she will out grow. I sure hope so:)

Kira - posted on 03/26/2010

hi,a started to have this problem with my daughter, after we've moved to a new place.so already for almost 6 mns she sleeps with a night lights on.otherwise she scared,so my advice-leave the lights on.

Jacqui - posted on 03/25/2010

we have just reached the same hurdle... and am interested in any advise. He calls the dark "black" and says it is naughty and hits him. Have talked to him about it, got him a glow worm and leave to door open when he goes to sleep. He sleeps with two teddies and are trying to find a night light for him but nothing is working! He yells "no, light on". He is 3 in May and this has only just started happening. An age thing maybe?

Michelle - posted on 03/25/2010

Hello Athena! Both of my kids have been afraid of the dark. With my son we always like you, told him about Jesus and He was always there for him! We added a star nightlight and stuffed animals for sure! =) Now with my daughter basically the same thing, but with her the comforting things were her dollies and books. I'm constantly telling her there are no monsters and Jesus ♥ s her too! I hope that this has helped you with your child during this time!