Do you have a child who's afraid of the dark? Here's some advice for getting a peaceful night's sleep for the both of you:
1.Have the patience to deal with your kid's fear. After a long, busy day, it can be frustrating to try to coax a child to sleep so you can go to sleep yourself. Be mindful that your child needs your comfort and protection more than anything – and easing them through irrational fear is a step-by-step process. One night you’ll seem to have it all figured out. Days later you might be back to where you started (with your child clinging to you or standing at your door). Be patient.
2. Illustrate what they imagine in the dark. – One way you can get your child to help you understand exactly where his imagination is taking him when the lights go out is by allowing him to illustrate or describe what he thinks might come out to get him. This way, you can explain to him much easier the truth behind what's really there when the lights are turned off.
3. Take tiny steps. Accompany your child every step of the way. Start by staying with him until he falls asleep. You might even consider lying in the same bed as him. Though you might see this as a bad habit forming, simply explain to him ahead of time so he can know what to expect. (“Mommy will sleep in here with you tonight and tomorrow, but then I’ll return to my own bed for the following nights.”) Then eventually move to just tucking him in and letting him see you seated beside his bed as he finally falls asleep. Eventually, you’ll get him to be content with just seeing your face at the door.
4. Purchase a bedside lamp or night light. It’s okay to let your child have a bit of light in the room. This way, he won't feel like the pitch black darkness is so much of a threat. Lights cast shadows which can sometimes be even more frightening to a child, so pay attention to wear you position the light in relation to the other objects in the room.
5. Say what's the real deal with the dark. Tell your child why there's a need to turn the lights off to have a more restful sleep. Explain to him that there’s nothing else there and the only difference is that they can't see the items in their room clearly.
