what do you do when your child is afraid at night?

[Hakuna Makarla]

I started having this problem, I was confused. I have never let my kids watch anything remotly scary, not even cartoons. I have even held out letting watch to many disney yet because of the witches, and ghosts and such. But this year some child told my son that there is ghosts in his closet and that they will eat him . well no matter what I have said to him, no matter what I did nothing helped, and he has been afraid to go to bed. I prayed with him and sang to him, but when I left the room he cried. No light on would help and so I was at wits end. Until today!
I told him last night, tomorrow we are going to go get a special ghost chasing light, a light that will make anything spookie run for there lives.
I went to the mall, and got a care bear, night light that has stars that move as the lamp warms up ( like a bubble lamp) He was so happy and he is now asleep !!
I told him, whwen the stars move around it is working,and all the scary stuff can not come in. I feel like a good mommy tonight yeah I found something that worked and he's happy and I am sooooo happy!!
what have you done when your child is scared?
I let him sleep with me, but that only adds to the problem, I think this light is a winner

[Disney Wrassler]

The light is a good beginner. Does he have a nightlight? I have prayed each night since I was like 10 or younger and have never had any nightmares since (and I watch a bunch of scary things). But other than that I remember when I was young and having the same problems he had, my mom bought me a stuffed Teddy Bear called "Nap" the dog. I felt very safe with him and had no nightmares for a few years. Does he take any kind of medication that can be adding to this fear?

(oh wait, perhaps I should read the whole post next time before I post. I see you got the issue solved . Good Job Karla.)

[SCUBAbe]

I used to sleep with a light on for years, but thats because I saw a figure standing in my doorway and it freaked me out.

everytime my child watched ET she would have nightmares. She would end up sleeping with me....LOL...but mostly she was fine going to bed.

[kelly]

my 4 year old has the same propblem Karla.. (she said she is afraid fo her room) the bathroom to be exact that is off to her bedroom, I said I will shut the door, it doesnt work......so now she sleeps with us EVERY EVERY NITE.. and NOW my 3 year old is in bed with us.. I AM SICK OF THIS.. When I am working all nite my husband doesnt sleep well, when I am home we both dont sleep well.. as for intamicy WHATS THAT?? lol

So I dont know what to do?? HELP ME TOO , Please

[Hakuna Makarla]

here is the night light I bought him,
http://cgi.ebay.com/Glitter-Night-Li...QQcmdZViewItem
only his has care bears on it.
It worked it really worked!! I was pretty amazed but when I told him as the sparkles go around, it lets you know you are safe and its doing its job keeping your room safe. He is sleeping and he did not fuss. in fact he was so happy he went right to sleep with out any fuss at all. no he is not on meds, but does take zyrtec during the day for alergys. just some kid telling him that there is monsters in his closet and ghosts to. Poor kid got scared out of his wits and this has been going on since the first of the month ( october) when some bigger kid told him all this stuff. OYE, but I did find a solutin and he is ok, and I am ok. Now I can sleep with out him being upset or kicking me all night long! ( he is now in his bed !!!) Kelly, get one of these, and give it a try

[kelly]

here is the night light I bought him,
http://cgi.ebay.com/Glitter-Night-Li...QQcmdZViewItem
only his has care bears on it.
It worked it really worked!! I was pretty amazed but when I told him as the sparkles go around, it lets you know you are safe and its doing its job keeping your room safe. He is sleeping and he did not fuss. in fact he was so happy he went right to sleep with out any fuss at all. no he is not on meds, but does take zyrtec during the day for alergys. just some kid telling him that there is monsters in his closet and ghosts to. Poor kid got scared out of his wits and this has been going on since the first of the month ( october) when some bigger kid told him all this stuff. OYE, but I did find a solutin and he is ok, and I am ok. Now I can sleep with out him being upset or kicking me all night long! ( he is now in his bed !!!) Kelly, get one of these, and give it a try

thanks karla I will try it

I will try anything

[Foolish Mortal]

Good job karla,Good luck Kelly.

[kelly]

Good job karla,Good luck Kelly.

thanks Folish mortel cross your fingers for me

[Mac Daddy]

Um....first of all...this other kid needs a good thumping!

Of course Jursassic Park, Chamber of Secrets, Spider Man, and some of the others that we have allowed our youngest to watch haven't helped much. "C'mon Dad! We're not scared....We want to see! Pleeeeeeeeese!!!"

And then they're up until 2 with eyes WIDE open.

What about this: I remember back in college going to see some horror flick...people demon possesed, killing each other, scary music, rated R, etc etc. SOME IDIOT MOTHER brought her four year old kid who screamed hysterically through the whole movie!!!!!

My kids freak out at Jurassic Park, and we still have to drag two of them into the haunted mansion at disneyland. Can you imagine taking a four year old to Friday the 13th, Halloween, or Nightmare on Elmstreet?

People never cease to amaze me....(my youngest is 6 and says he can "handle" Jurassic Park...yeah right...)

Back on topic...I'm glad you found something that worked, and yes, you rock as a mommy tonight!

[Olympicnut]

Lock 'em in the closet and make sure the lightbulb in the closet is burned out

I was a TOTAL fraidy cat as a kid and the folks left the light to the bathroom on with the door halfway closed for me. Hell even now I have nightlights GALORE all over the house. Kitchen, living room, both bathrooms. Not that I'm afraid but it's easier to move about the house that way. Yea, thats it

[Bornieo Goes Bananas]

I say buy a Devil halloween mask and once they've fallen asleep, kick in the door and run in screaming as loud as possible. Once they realize it's just you in a mask, everything else will fix itself. You will get the satifaction of seeing your child climb the wall.

[JangoFett]

We just lock ours in the closet.

Just kidding, JEEEZZEEE!!

Our daughter went through a period starting before she was three where she was convinced my father, who passed away more than ten years ago, was visiting her at night. Scary thing is she desribed him perfectly and pointed him out in a group of pictures. She had NEVER seen a picture of him before. We only have a few pictures of him and hadn't gotten around to framing any. They were in a box in storage. Anyway, we told her that Grandpa was her gaurdian angel and there to keep her safe. That took care of it. A couple times a week she would tell us she saw and even talked to Grandpa. This went on for almost a year. One moring our daughter told us that Grandpa had told her the night before that he wasn't going to be visiting much anymore because her new cousin needed him. She was sad but OK with it. Well, there weren't any "new" cousins. Our daughter's only cousins were 7 and 10 years old. My sister-in-law gave birth that day, a month and a half early.

[Barbaraann]

Do you believe in angels?

[Hakuna Makarla]

When we went to disneyland I neve took him to the haunted mansion, the only remotly scary thing he went on was pirates and he loved it.
He did well last night, He woke happy and he said to me this morning, mommy it worked, I was not scare at all! so I am glad I found something that worked. I will continue to pray with him and read to him, and let him know there is nothing to be afraid of. If that kid tells him any more stuff like this I will need to call his mommy and talk with her. !

[JangoFett]

Do you believe in angels?

Have you ever watched Medium on NBC? When it comes to the day to to day family stuff portrayed on that show, well, all I'll say is that's what it is like around my house to a lesser extent.