Afraid of the dark?

Question

I have a 7 year old who just saw Monster House! (his dad took him) He has not slept in 4 nights now. he is even scared to go upstairs in his room during the day! I have tried everything. I made Monster spray for him. I reasure him that I wont let aything happen to him. I tell him to think happy thoughts. I have a nightlight on in his room. I am in and out of that room at least 6 times a night! I am exhausted I just want to yell and get mad at him by 4a.m. But I know that will make it worse. how do I get him over this fear and all of us sleeping again? I ask him what makes him scared he said it is too dark. And the monsters are breathing under his bed. I even have a fan on in his room to deaden the sound. CAn anyone help me please?

Thank you everyone for your ideas, Except his dad is not with us. So i am the one fighting the battle. I have the nightlight on! I read him stories every night. I pray with him before bed every night! We spray monster spray in every corner of the room under the bed everywhere! He has been on and off with the moster thing since he was 4. My dog goes in his room everynight and smells. So he can see nothing is in there. I am just tired and I dont know what to do anymore!

Answer 1

You should take him to see a child psychologist, even if it is just for one session.

Phobias are easily treatable, but he has to gradually gain exposure to what he's afraid of, which is the dark. I have no real suggestions for how to submit him to this exposure.

You should let him know that whatever's breathin under his bed isn't any monsters but rather his guardian angel, or something to that effect. Try to rationalize to him what he thinks is going on.

EDIT: I like the idea of telling him that once the clock strikes 9:00, there's magic that protects his room from monsters and that they can't go in there after that period, and that they must stay outside his room so as long as he stays there he's safe.

And in reference to him being a clairvoyant or psychic...neither of those would have him hearing things. He would have to be a medium. And even then, children with medium abilities tend to be able to see who or what is talking to or communicating with them. So I doubt it's that. In addition, it would be too much of a coincidence for his medium abilities to suddenly wake at the same time he saw this movie.

Oh, and one last thing. Since this was your husband's doing, you should have him take the burden of trying to fix it.

Answer 2

I used to be afraid of the dark. I can tell you that the fan will make it worse. He will think the monsters are there waiting to get him and he won't even hear them coming.
Suggest taking his mattress off the bed frame so there is no space for the monster to hide under.
Leave his door open a crack and leave the light on in the hallway.
That's an interesting way you put it, deaden the sound, maybe there is something in the house, and you are picking it up subconsciously. Children are often more sensitive to it. I know this is likely because of the movie, but if there was something there maybe he wasn't scared of it until he saw the movie.
Ask him if he's ever seen the monster, and if he hasn't what makes him think it's really there. Don't give him words to use let him tell you with out any suggestions.
Good luck

Answer 3

Since it is stuck in his mind for time being. If you try anything now it well worsen the situation as he will feel that you are doing all these because there is something.

Best is leave it for time being. May be you would like to sleep with him for sometime to assure him that all is fine or if possible change his room or if that is not possible go for some refurnish,


Show him some movie where human being is acting as monster just to make others afraid so that u can tell him that there is nothing called monster .


keep light on in the night for some days so that he can see what is around him.

keep windows closed so that u can tell that nothing can come fromm window n main door is also closed so no one can come from there. n also that u r there to see that nothing comes there.

show him some comedy movie of the kids so that he forget about that one.


i use to scare of darkness when i was a kid but with time it is gone. but when i saw some horror movie now also i get scared with darkness. as there is uncertainty in darkness . u can't see anything so u don't know what is there. so it's better not to show him any such movie till he start understanding well all the things.


as fear n shynss r heridity characters i have read in one of the books so try to always kep him away fromsuch situations as he might be more prone to fear like me.

Answer 4

i think u and his dad need to watch another KIDS movie with him to start with mayb even a funny monster movie to give him d idea monsters arent scary but they are funny. watch it at home he might not want to go bak in d cinema. leave the tv in his room on and the volume up so he dont feel lonly wen he walks in it. and till he sleeps at night stay beside him with the lights on and tell him funny stories. than leave wen he falls asleep and leave his bedroom door open. mayb u can leave the hallway light on so if he happens to wake up he wont panic. and u can put some boxes under his bed and explain to him that the monsters cant come under the bed cuz ders no space for them to stay because theres the boxes

goodluck with it ;)
(im just realisin my answer and the answer above are almost the same am sry i guess we were rightin it at the same time)

Answer 5

I used to be afraid of the dark because of the "monsters" in my closet and under the bed. Perhaps as part of the nightime routine before you tuck him in {if you still do that}.... look under his bed and in his closet and where ever else the monsters could be hiding. Be sure to do this together! Or even do a special little ritual thing to rid the monsters from his room

Answer 6

For a start (Great Dad). Now leave a little light on and put a small tv in his room, let him watch it at a low volume and b4 u know it he'll drift to sleep. You can plug the TV into a timer and set it for an hour, works for me, I fall asleep to the Tele evry night.

Answer 7

Believe it or not, I am also scared of the dark, or was! My husband bought me a lava lamp. It was enough light during the night and it didn't disturb any one. 6 months later I switched it off. If I got scared I just switched it on again. The lava also calmed me down when I stare at it.

Good luck

Answer 8

Tell the young lad that there is an outside monster that cant go in his room when hes there and it comes out after 9:00pm.

Answer 9

Have him watch an Episode of Veggie Tales where they sing "God is Bigger than the Boogie Man" Sometimes we need to talk to our kids in a way that they would understand. It worked with mine. To have him visualize that this monster he is scared of is nothing compared to God,a big and strong person who is on his side and will take care of him.

Answer 10

I recommend staying with him in the dark and showing him what's under his bed. The three of you should accompany him and let him grope in the dark under his bed or anywhere. If that doesn't work, go to a child psychologist. They'll know what to do.