If your child has a fear of monsters, it can be difficult to put them to bed at night.Your child's fears seem real to them, so know that these are silly childhood worries.To help them move past their anxiety, it's important to acknowledge it.You can help your child overcome their fear of monsters by having a talk with them, changing their room, and altering their sleep routine.
Step 1: Affirm their happiness.
One of the best ways to help your child move past their fear is to acknowledge it.If you acknowledge your child's anxiety, they will feel heard.I know that you are scared.I will help you.
Step 2: Ask what they are worried about.
Don't make assumptions about why your child is scared.Listen to them and seek to understand.It is only after you understand their fear that you can help them overcome it.Active listening is more than asking your child what's bothering them.Sit down or kneel and make eye contact with them as they describe their fears.They know you take their concerns seriously.
Step 3: Help them find out what scares them.
Your child's fears are real, even though you know they are unreasonable.Help them understand the situation.Ask them questions after finding out their fears.If they are worried that a monster is hiding in their closet, ask them if they have ever seen one.If they are afraid of their dolls at night, ask them if they have ever seen them move on their own.Delegitimizing their worries will be helped by this.Young children may not be as receptive to being told that monsters are not real.A young child may need you to help them prepare for a monster.By the age of six or seven, you should be able to tell your child the difference between fact and fiction.
Step 4: They can draw the monster and make it silly.
They can help debunk their fears by assigning them a mini art project.They should draw what their monster might look like.After they have done that, have them make the monster look silly by adding things that are funny to them.Adding humor to the idea of a monster will help soothe their fears.They might be able to draw them on a banana peel.You can tell them a story that makes their monster seem less threatening, or you can have them write a silly story about it.
Step 5: If they leave the bedroom, make sure they are safe.
Sometimes your child will leave their beds at night to get into your house.It is important that you reinforce that their room is a safe place and that they should be sleeping there, even though it can be tempting to allow them to sleep with you.Take them back to their bed and keep them there until they fall asleep.You could say something like, "I know you are scared."It is okay for you to sleep in your room.I will not allow anything to get you.I will stay with you until you fall asleep.
Step 6: Help your child move on.
Maybe your child is afraid of monsters because of a traumatic life situation.Maybe they witnessed a violent act or your home was broken into.Make changes to your home environment to help your child move past their issue.You could start the conversation by saying that you are scared of the fight.We can talk about it whenever you want.Do you want to talk about it?If asked directly, they may be able to give you a practical answer.Purchase a home alarm system and explain to them how it works to keep bad people out of the house.The windows and doors should be locked.Get a dog.
Step 7: Professional help is available for severe cases.
Sometimes your child's fear of monsters is beyond the scope of just having a conversation or tweaking their nighttime routine.If your child is not sleeping at night, eating less, or showing signs of depression, you should get them professional help.There are child therapists in your area.
Step 8: A book can help overcome fears.
To help your child sleep, read to them nightly.Allow them to pick a book and purchase books that address their fears of monsters.Some children have been helped by the movie Monsters, Inc.The Monster at the End of this Book Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? is one of the books that could be helpful.The owl was afraid of the dark.
Step 9: Discuss concerns before bed.
It's a good idea to fact check their monsters earlier in the day.Talking about your child's concerns after school or dinner is a better way to address them.This will make it easier for them to sleep because their worries will be addressed early on.
Step 10: Help them shift their thoughts at night.
It is a good idea to make a list with your child of what they are looking forward to.They should cycle through this list every night so that they have something to think of.They can shift their focus at night to something more positive.
Step 11: They should get a security object.
Children find it comforting to have an item to hold while sleeping.Your child can sleep with a special blanket or stuffed animal to alleviate their fears.Give them one of these items from your childhood.If that's not possible, you could go shopping to find one that is special to them.You can appoint a favorite stuffed animal or toy to be a guardian or watcher in a special room where they will be able to protect your child.You can make a "magic" object that will help protect your child.Every night before bed, they use a spray bottle filled with water.
Step 12: They shouldn't be allowed to watch scary shows or movies.
Some monsters that children fear are monsters they have seen on TV.You can control what they see in the future.Don't allow your child to watch scary movies that are not rated G or P.Consider putting parental controls on their TVs so that they can't watch it alone.
Step 13: Stay in their bed until they fall asleep.
You can sometimes sleep with your child on nights they are particularly scared.Don't do it for two nights in a row or on a weekly basis.You don't want your child to be used to it.
Step 14: Check in periodically.
If your child is afraid at night, tell them that you will check on them every few minutes until they fall asleep.Check in 5 minutes after they are put to bed.Nothing can get to them, so this will help assure them that you are there.
Step 15: The lighting needs to be changed in the room.
If your child wants to keep the lights on in their room out of fear of the monsters, this will affect their quality of sleep and won't help them face their worries.Purchase lower wattage lights so that they won't be too bright.Purchase a night light or keep a small lamp by their bed.To get comfortable in the dark, you may want to work with your child.Walk through the lit room with them, then turn out the lights and go back into the room to identify them.Some comfort can be created by this.
Step 16: Don't have any shadows.
There are shadows in your child's room.Eliminate as many shadows as possible.If their coat hangs on a hook, hang it in the closet.If there is a shadow near their bed, put their toys in a bin.From your child's level, take a look at the room.Look at everything from their height to get an idea of what scares them.
Step 17: To face the door, move the bed.
It is a good idea to have your child's bed facing the door.If their bed is facing away from the door, they may be concerned that a monster could enter without them knowing.It is possible to alleviate that concern by having them face the door.
Step 18: Consider a pet as a companion.
Some children benefit from having a pet in their room as they sleep, as it can serve as a constant companion for them in a way that you can't.You can choose one that doesn't sleep in the bed.Make sure the pet is not very loud so that they don't affect their sleep.If you have a large pet like a dog or cat, you can talk to your child about how it helps keep monsters away at night.Allow your child to believe your dog is a guard dog.