How to Conquer Night Time Anxiety in Kids

By: Charlene Nelson Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Everyone has his own story to tell. After the lights are switched off, the shadows in the room seem to take lives of their own. You are five year old and your mental imagery whirls. Is the tapping on your window a demon trying to get in or a tree branch? Suddenly, the jacket on your chair starts to look like the ghost you saw on TV today. And under your bed – you cannot even begin to think about what is underneath the bed. A bogey man, Frankenstein or Dracula (or all three!) could be hiding underneath, all set to jump on you at the smallest move you make.

Here are some tips how to conquer night time anxiety in kids and expel all the monsters in your child’s imagination.

1. Watch what they watch. Being a child is not easy. You are very easily influenced and creative. That is why you must not allow your kids to see horror movies. Watching cackling witches or frightening Frankenstein will definitely affect your child’s imagination. Young children do not separate fantasy from reality. This is why you ought to leave out the cartoons and movies with creepy creatures until your child is mature enough to do so. If some way they get to watch a horror flick without you knowing it, be swift to explain that the demons in the film are not real. They are just “invented” characters and will not appear to visit them in their rooms at night.

2 Routines before going to sleep. Another reason why kids have nightmares or lie awake at night thinking of phantoms is because they are not truly relaxed or tired. By setting some bedtime rituals, you can help solve this issue, to help your child slip on to the Land of Nod. Give him a glass of hot milk before bed. Tuck her in. Read a good bedtime story. All these will help your child relax and set aside the imaginings for the morning.

3. Night lights. One thing that helps both parents and kids how to defeat fear is putting a nightlight in the child’s room. This way the room will not be pitch dark once the main lights are turned off. Having a nightlight not only helps make the child feel safer, but is in addition keeping the child from stumbling around in the darkness when he or she needs to go to the loo in the middle of the night. Keep in mind though that you select a nightlight with a really soft light. Having overly much light will not stimulate sleep and will keep your child awake.

How to conquer fear in kids, mainly at night, is something everyone goes through. You have gone through it as a youngster and now you have to help your own children through it. Remember to be patient and do not demean their childish anxieties. Try to recall how scary it all was for you – and be prepared to offer comfort and solace to your kids when they feel frightened. After all, the comforting cuddle of a parent is the best remedy against every night time fear.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: You can find more information how to treat night time anxiety at www.antianxietyconsumerreport.com