help! I have a 5 year old that is afraid to go to bed.?

Question

He says he's afraid of the dark but I've tried leaving a light on and he's still scared! He won't fall asleep unless I'm in the room-any suggestions???

Answer 1

We used to walk down the hall to my daughter's bedroom making as much noise as we could...announce to whatever "monsters" were in the closet and under the bed that the most FERIOUCIOUS terror ever unleashed upon the world was about to enter the bedroom and they'd better stay in hiding or face a fate worse than death. Of course that terror was my 5 year old daughter. This seemed to make her feel better, maybe a bit more powerfull and when I'd ask about the monsters the next morning she would proudly report that not a one of them showed their faces in her room that night.

Answer 2

He's only 5. Sit with him for a few minutes, maybe 10, each night. Read or tell him a story, sing him a song or talk about your day. Soon enough he won't want you in his room, enjoy it while it lasts. You should set some boundaries for "bedtime" though. Let your son know there is a time limit and the activities will be limited to something relaxing for bedtime. You might also provide a woobie (a special blanket or piece of clothing that smells like you) or a new friend to keep lonely away, cd players with lullaby cd's are lifesavers, too! Good Luck!

Answer 3

I know just what you mean! I have one who's afraid to go to bed too. At first I thought he was putting it on to stay up late but he's genuinely scared I think.
Nothing has been failsafe so far but lots of things have worked temporarily. I don't let him watch anything scary, even Scooby Doo is banned for a while. We've tried some of the things suggested here by others but never the 'monster spray'. Hmmm Sounds like it could be effective.

Answer 4

Hmm maybe run me out of energy if u know what im talking about and he'll fall asleep or maybe show him theres really nothing to be afraid of maybe ugh turn off the light while ur in there and talk to him an show him theres nothing to be a scared of .. sorry im only 15 :P just trying my best to help people out! good luck!

Answer 5

I had this problem until my daughter was 8.It took me awhile to figure out ,that it wasn't so much dark ,as it was silence that she was afraid of.I placed a t.v with a timer in her room.The light and voices made her feel more relaxed.The t.v would automatically shut off in about 15 minutes and she'd be sound asleep

Answer 6

You have to make him tell you exactly what he is afraid of.Do not let him watch any scarey movies although you may think they are not that scarey they may be real scarey for him to watch.Once he tells you what he is scared of you must make him believe that his fears do not need to exsist.Being afraid of the dark is not a good enough answer.You must make him tell you if he thinks there is monsters or ghost in the dark.He might believe something is under his bed but only comes out in the dark.

Answer 7

Take an old spray bottle and put in some water and Febreeze. This is monster spray also gets rid of bed bugs, scary night noises and fear of darkness. Give to child to spray when he needs to. This will rid his room of all the above mentioned critters and help him to sleep better because he controls the spray.

Answer 8

Buy a can of air freshner... Make a lable that says "monster spray". Use it to spray a little each night where he thinks there may be an issue. This helped my daughter.

Answer 9

Sing him to sleep then put him in bed.

Answer 10

a shot of bourbon