Helping Kids to Not Be Afraid of the Dark
Every young child has a fear of the dark. In their sweet, fun-filled imaginations also lurk made-up monsters in the closet or under the bed. The younger your child, the less that he or she can separate their fantasies from reality. As a parent, soothing a young child at night is not an easy task. For one, the child just doesn’t buy our rationalizations that monsters are not real. Here are a few things a parent can do to acclimate their child to the dark. Make the bedroom night friendly. If your child believes there are monsters in the closet, clean out and arrange the closet so it is neat and tidy. Leave the closet doors open when the child goes to bed at night. The same goes for the bed. Many children believe monsters and strange things live under the bed. Keep toys, clothes, and other things that can form shadows out from under the bed. Have your son or daughter get on the floor and look to see there is nothing under the bed before hopping in bed. Light up the room just a ...