Do 2 year olds really see monsters before bed, and get scared or is it just "I don't wanna go to bed"?

Question

Every night for the last week my 2 year old has been seeing "monsters" and starts to scream. We run in there to find him in his crib crying.
There have been no changes in home life, every thing is the same. He is not going to a babysitter... I am a stay at home mom. Nothing is different, so what is triggering this freak out.
If we get him out of bed for a while, he goes to sleep in our arms, if we leave him in there he freaks out a couple more times, and cries himself to sleep. I thought it was a attention thing, but I play with him all of the time. I am VERY attentive.

Please... other mom's help me!!!

Robin

Answer 1

even if it is imagined, what ever it is, is still scary. comfort. and maybe change the lighting. I put up christmas lights in the room for my little one and remember it might be sounds too or even the way shadows look. 2 year olds aren't really known for their logic. It isn't uncommon and usually passes. My youngest son liked small enclosed places and found them comforting, at one point he slept in a walk in closet, (with the door opened) and now he has a bed in a cubby hole under the stairs. both places were decorated with charachters and had christmas lights up (kid friendly) and were his personal places, before that we kept finding him sleeping under his bed in the mornings. now he doesn't do that.

Answer 2

I can't speak from a mom point of view, but I CAN remember being very young and having such an active imagination that I really did feel like I was seeing monsters. I was never trying to get out of bed---I always liked sleeping. But I would just let my mind wander sometimes and it is amazing how vivid a little kid's imagination can be.

This may be a case where you want to use the "Monster Spray" since it is probably an imagination-fueled nervousness and not reflecting any other stress in your son's life. Get a spray bottle of water and print up a "Monster Repellant" label to put on the bottle. Tell your son it is to keep monsters away and let him watch you spray around the room before he sleeps. That will help put his imagination to rest and let him focus on pleasant things while he drifts off.

Answer 3

I honestly can remember when I was a little kid--I was older than your son because I can remember it...lol--and I really thought there were monsters in my wall, I remember being told some story and for whatever reason I "knew" there were nasty monsters inside of my wall.

My dad, who is a very resourceful guy, got a spray bottle and told me that the spray in there was "monster-be-gone" magic spray...it took a little convincing on my part, but it worked. If you do take this idea, I would introduce it to him early in the day and make a big deal out of what you "bought" maybe get a picture of a sesame street monster and put a big X on it, that way he will understand easier what it is.

Good luck with this, it worked for my kiddos :)

Answer 4

my son started this around the same age and it is cause by shadows on the wall or a noise that they do not recognize. to solve the problem i went to the dollar store and got a spray bottle and some glitter, filled the bottle with water and put some glitter in it. i did this when he was not in the room because he would know what it was. that night when he cried about monsters i gave him the bottle of ''monster-away spray'' and told him to spray where the monsters were. after he felt like all of them were gone i put the bottle on top of the dresser and he went right to sleep. it does get the floor a little wet but it works and i told him one spray per monster was all he needed to do because worked so well on them. i wrote monster away on the bottle and decorated it a little. good luck

Answer 5

Leave a light on in the hallway. Or get him a nightlight. It's normal for kids to be afraid of the dark. But leaving a light on or getting a nightlight calms the fears. I had a nightlight. Worked wonders. It's normal for even adults to be afraid of things that go bump in the night. Also, if he's really seeing " monsters", annoint your whole house, from room to room with any kind of oil, pray God's protection over every room in your home. That really works. Kids are very perceptive when it comes to evil spirits. I did it a couple of times myself. Both you and your husband do it. Both of you annoint and pray over your son as well, and any other kids yo

Answer 6

I remember seeing monsters, and being afraid of branches that made shadows on the wall, lots of things were scary at night. Just give him lots of love & comfort, there is absolutely nothing wrong (and lots of things that are right) with helping your son through this scary time by holding him until he goes to sleep... it's just him developing, it's a good thing, in a way. Good luck!

Answer 7

As their little minds grow, children have a hard time controlling the images and sounds they experience.

This means that he certainly may see 'monsters' once he is quiet and alone, and hear them too!

It is so important to their development to receive comfort as they go through the stages of development that they don't understand. Hug him, hold him until he is happy. You'll never regret it.

Your little guy sounds like a great kid; if you help him deal with his 'monsters' now, he will be a big, strong, confident guy who is able to slay dragons before lunch!

Answer 8

Why does a 2 year old know about monsters? The only monster my 2 year old knows about is elmo and cookie monster.I have 5 other much older boys and they know not to teach the little one this crazy stuff and we do not watch any type of movies or shows that is not good for a 2 year old to watch.You gotta figure out who had taught him about monsters or find out if he has seen something on tv that he should not have seen.Then you have to convince him there is no such thing as a monster and that is going to be hard.A 2 year old can not make up fearing a monster if he was not taught about them or teased about them.............................Ok I come back the next day to this question and I have 2 thumbs down.Is it because you people really believe a 2yr old can make up something he has never seen or been taught about?If a 2yr old is not taught about monsters or seen them on a stupid movie then they can not fear them.But hey if you people want to have your kids fearing to go to bed clear up to the age of 12 then install whatever you want into your childrens heads.

Answer 9

do you keep a light on for him? or a lighted mobile he can keep his attention on? How about a radio? When my son was having bad dreams we put a dream catcher up in his room and they went away. Try something creative like a magic blanket or song. he may be seeing shadows that scare him or maybe something that did scare him in his daily life. Have you asked what his monster looks like? you might get some answers there. Good luck and God bless

Answer 10

lol thats soo funny because my daughter did the same thing and i heard her cry and it seemed like she was truly scared but tom (her daddy) would say " she just wants attention......she doesnt want to go to bed" but you can hear in your childs cry if they are truley scared.. or if they are just whining.. especally a 2 year old cuz they dont just cry all the time like a newborn... so listen to the cry if your childs scared get them a night light or something.. i got my daughter a tv/dvd player so she can watch her princess movies while shes falling asleep... ever since i got that the "monsters" have dissapeared!!! lol.... ohh and you know theres no such thing as monsters right..... you kid isnt really seeing anything.... but could truly be scared in the dark....lol