How to Calm Your Child's Fears of the Dark
Fear of the dark is an extremely common fear in children. Studies have shown that you sleep better in the dark, because it allows your senses to completely turn off. It is important for children to be able to feel comfortable enough in the dark to sleep.
Steps
- Get a nightlight for your child's bedroom. Nightlights give just enough light, helping your child feel more relaxed.
- Ask your child what they think and feel when it's dark. Reassure their fears and worries.
- Show your child that their room is exactly the same in the dark as it is when lit, by sitting on their bed with them and turning the light on and off.
- Buy a dimmer switch. Each night, have the light a little dimmer, until it is almost dark. Your child will grow more confident and eventually be able to turn off the light.
- Try leaving the hall light on and the door open, so there is still light coming into the room. After your child falls asleep you can turn the light off.
- Turn the light off and sit with your child in the dark. Stay with them until their eyes adjust to the dark and they realise that they can still see things in the dark.
- Don't let your child play on the computer or watch TV less than an hour before they go to sleep.
Tips
- Leave a phone or cot radio by their bed so if they get scared they can phone you.
- Buy them a toy in the form of a nocturnal animal, such as a cat, owl or bat. If they have a "friend who can see in the dark" and look out for them, their fears should disappear.
- Encourage your child to talk about or draw pictures of anything they think they can see in the dark. Communication is essential to banish fears.
- Read "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark" by Jill Tomlinson (available from the Amazon link at the bottom of this page) together with your child. It's a cute story about a young owl overcoming his fear of the dark by hearing the opinions of people he meets, such as a little girl who reminds him that dark is necessary for Santa Clause to come.
Warnings
- As tempting as it is, don't tell them that mummy and daddy are there to scare off any monsters in the dark, or they'll come running to you everytime they get scared. Children have to learn to deal with their fear of the dark in their own time, in their own way. Providing mum and dad as a scapegoat often doesn't work.
- Some children can get quite distressed by movies you may find placid, such as Jurassic Park. Be sure to talk to your child after watching films together, especially if you've watched them with the lights out, or in the run up to bedtime.
Sources and Citations
