Fear of the dark, monsters under the bed, and things that go bump in the night, are all common occurances in young children. Nighttime fears can reek havoc on bedtime, not only for kids, but for their parents as well.
While you don’t want to encourage and reinforce these fears, they are all too real for them, and there are some tips to help them overcome them.
- Find out what your child is afraid of. Let them tell you what makes them scared at bedtime.
- Reassure them that you are near and will check on them after you have safely tucked them into bed. Check back frequently, reassuring them that everything is okay, that they are safe, but that they must stay in their bed. Start out checking on them every 5-10 minutes, stretching out the time between each check.
- Provide a night light if needed, or allow the door to remain open.
- 30-60 minutes before bedtime, limit scary movies, bedtime stories or television shows.
- Praise your child when they stay in bed, and offer rewards.
- Allow them to have a stuffed toy, or favorite blanket for security.
Children feel they have no control over their fears. A fun way to give them some power is to allow them to spray away their fears with No More Monster Spray. This spray is easy to make using two essential oils that are known to have calming properties, promote sleep, provide sweet dreams and it smells great.
You will need:
Spray bottle
Distilled water or bottled water
Lavender Essential Oil
Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Witch Hazel (optional) to help carry the scent.
Both Lavender and Sweet Orange essential oils can easily be found at health food stores and major natural grocery stores. Do not use fragrance oils, essential oils only.
Recipe:
Fill a 4oz spray bottle with water. Add 25 drops of lavender essential oil and 20 drops of sweet orange oil. Add 2 Tablespoons witch hazel if you are using. Shake well.
Spray this sweet smelling spray into the air, and lightly onto linens, avoiding the pillow case. You can also spray all the areas where fear lurks, under the bed and in closets, explaining they can spray away their fears.
Do not allow your child to do this alone. Keep the bottle and all essential oils out of children’s reach, and do not take internally.
If your child has asthma or allergies, you may want to speak with your health care provider.
Another fun way to help your child get rid of their fears is to copy and print the picture below. Have them crumble up the picture and throw it away, symbolically throwing away their fear
Sweet dreams!