my little boy often wakes during the night , he doesnt know why but once awake he cannot get back to sleep because he is nervous of every little noise and shadow, i put him in with me but have to move things in my room which scare him like a hat or washing , which he says look like a person , he thinks 'bad guys' can get in the house so i show him how i lock the doors and windows, but our sleep is suffering and i am worried about him . any one have any answers ?
2007-02-21 23:26:40 · 18 answers · asked by natalie s 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
yeah i have been using a light from the start most lights cause more shadows ....thanks anyway
2007-02-23 08:51:56 · update #1
Make your little guy some "Monster Spray" -take an old spray bottle and put in water and febreeze (if you have none use perfume). Put a label on it that says Monster Spray. Let your boy spray under his bed and in the closet because monsters cant stay where it smells good-they have to leave!!! This worked wonders for a friends boy -sleeps all night now.
2007-02-21 23:32:36 · answer #1 · answered by elaeblue 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Being small and afraid is terrible, but normal. He's realizing there are things in the world that even Mom and Dad can't control. Make sure he doesn't watch any scary movies, the evening news or Cops/police shows. He is only five and should watch and play games that are only for very young children. Make sure there is a light on in his room (bright enough not to cause shadows). Leave the light on all night. Also, give him a flashlight to keep by his bed. If he wakes up and thinks he sees something scary he can use the flashlight to see what it really is (coat hanging on a chair, etc.). Make sure there is a light in the hallway and bathroom so it's not dark if he gets up in the middle of the night. At five, their imaginations are amazing, but the real world is edging into their safe little bubble. Let him know that you make sure everything is locked up, the alarm is on and he's safe every night. Tell him about the noises in the house during the day when he's not scared (eg. "Do you hear that, that's the heater coming on, of course, at night when it's quiet it sounds louder doesn't it" or "that's the ice maker in the refrigerator", etc.). When my son was young we had a tape player by his bed with some of his favorite songs that he could turn on softly if he woke up at night. He would go to sleep with it on every night so it became a soothing, comforting sleeptime ritual. My nephew had a netting around his bed (mosquito-netting, his room was a jungle theme) and he thought of the netting as a safety barrier. You may want to try it. It will get better. You're a caring mom and he'll feel safe and secure soon. Good Luck!
2007-02-22 10:17:49 · answer #2 · answered by Kimmi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure he has something to eat before he goes to sleep. His blood sugar may be falling which could be why he is waking up. Do no take him into your room - he has his own room and thats where he should stay. You will have a batle now as you have already shown him that you will take him into yours which is a good result for him. Do everything you can to reassure him then put him to bed and leave him. Don't worry about him - he can't stay awake indefinitely. Most children are afraid of the dark and have over active imaginations so he is no different.
2007-02-22 07:45:53 · answer #3 · answered by LillyB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
allow him to have the light on through the night my daughter did this at Early five as well she was terrified to the point of shaking at times so I made sure she had a cuddly and left her nursery light oin all night long. then when she would wake she could see everything clearly and wasn't afraid. After a while we dimmed the light to a bright night light and now she uses almost no light at all.
I used to get really scared at night too. It is weird waking up cause things seem distorted and blurry and shadows can be really scary when you can't even tie your shoes:)
Let there be light!!!!
2007-02-22 07:49:42 · answer #4 · answered by OMeganO 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think a plug in night light might help. It helped when my boy was younger and used to wake up and say monsters were in his room.
Children have vivid imaginations. I presume you have no reason for him being scared such as previous house break in or such like? Has he seen films on TV where they may have frightened him?
make sure there is enough light so that if or when he wakes he can see around him.
A night light in his room is far better in the long run than taking him in with you.
2007-02-22 08:21:39 · answer #5 · answered by laplandfan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do a little "get rid of the monsters dance" before he goes to bed and use a low wattage lamp to keep on during the night.
Make sure you talk about it in the morning and let him know how proud you are of him for being a big boy. Eventually that fear will go away. Keep him away from scarey movies or tv shows that may be too intense for small guys.
2007-02-22 09:09:38 · answer #6 · answered by MKM 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ah bless - he must have a really vivid imagination that is just playing havoc with him at night......
Probably the best thing you can do is allow him to have a lamp / night light next to his bed and allow him to leave it on until he feels ready to turn it off - even if it means leaving it on right through the night.
Try and get a book or something that has a similar storey to his and read it too him before bed, this might ease him abit....
good luck hunni
2007-02-22 09:23:56 · answer #7 · answered by EMA 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have always left either the landing light or hallway light on at night so if you do wake you can see enough but it doesn't keep you awake. Our daughter's ok with this but gets scared in total darkness.
2007-02-22 09:23:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
first of all, no matter how bad it gets, it is not a good idea to let him sleep with you. you need to make him comfertable in his own room, nightlights , maybe those ones that make a pattern on the ceiling? give him something to think about.
never allow scary films, or stories. have a calming bedtime routine. bath story, try a massage.
if all fails, then you go to his room to settle him, not the other way round. hard few days, but you will get there in the end
2007-02-22 07:41:58 · answer #9 · answered by fat momma 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a lot of children have a fear of the dark at this age and usually grow out of it, try talking to him and explain to him that it is just shadows, i would also suggest a night light or leaving the landing light on in case he wakes in the night
2007-02-22 07:34:15 · answer #10 · answered by tracy w 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋