Are your kids too afraid of monsters to fall asleep at night? Help Kids Overcome a Fear of Monsters Under the Bed.
Kids around the globe dream about a beast hiding under the bed every night. Many adults can relate to a common fear — the phenomenon of monsters is not old. It's a fear that predates video games and social media and has continued for generations to come.But learning how to ease the fear of your child and reassure him that he can sleep alone in his bed without being threatened by a demon living under the bed can be difficult.
How to Help Your Child
It’s important to show empathy—even you’re feeling frustrated because your child cries out repeatedly or gets out of bed a dozen times every night. Here are some tactics that can support monsters hiding under the bed (or in the closet) with fears:
Validate your child’s feelings. Instead of saying, "Don't be afraid," say, "I know you're really scared right now." It sends a message that it's okay to be scared. Do not accuse your child of being too emotional or attracting attention.
Use dramatic play. Encourage your child to use a dollhouse, stuffed animals, or other toys to show you how someone might deal with the fear of monsters under the bed in a healthy way. He may depict a brave boy who scares the monsters away or a girl who learns how to sing herself to sleep so she isn’t afraid. Dramatic play can help your child develop his own creative solutions.
Encourage artwork. Let your child draw pictures of monsters or paint a picture of how she feels when she tries to go to sleep. Talking about it can help her feel safer.
Look under the bed. Before you shut off the lights at night, ask your child if he wants to look under the bed together. Use a flashlight and look around under there—if he wants to do so. That can help him confront his fears head-on.
Practice being in the dark together. If your child is afraid of the dark, doing something fun in the when the lights are out can help him see that darkness isn’t so scary. You might read books at bedtime with only a flashlight or tell him stories in the dark before he falls asleep.
Use a night light but do so cautiously. Light will interfere with your child’s circadian rhythms and keep him awake longer. So if you opt for a night light, make sure it’s dim and place it somewhere that it won’t be shining in his face while he’s trying to sleep.
Give your child a better sleep environment. The child's sleeping environment should be quiet and comfortable, avoiding the chance of getting up due to external disturbance. Vesgantti offers comfortable mattresses, good air permeability and low allergen materials.Create a comfortable sleep environment for your child.