At 5 Little Monkeys, we're proud to help kids everywhere get the deep, restful sleep they need with our world-class mattress for kids. But sometimes, it takes more than just a great kids bed to help a child fall asleep – especially if they're worried about monsters under the bed or dangers lurking in a dark corner of the room. As a parent, it can be hard to know how to handle children's before-bed fears, so here are a few tips on how to help your child go to sleep when they're feeling scared.
Tips to Help Your Child Sleep When They're Scared
Being afraid of the dark is one of the most common parts of childhood, and plenty of adults even get a little jittery when the lights get low. If your little one is having trouble sleeping because they feel scared, try these simple tips to help soothe them and fight their fears:
- Talk & Listen: The first step is always to talk with your child about what they're feeling and to listen to them without judgement. Accept, understand, and validate their feelings, and never make fun of them or dismiss their concerns. Try sharing an antidote from your childhood about how you overcame fears. Sometimes, a sympathetic ear is all it takes.
- Be Careful with Media Consumption: Scary TV shows, movies, or games often contribute to children's fear of the dark or other phobias. Much of the “Children’s” content on sites such as YouTube Kids is not always age appropriate even though it’s targeted to young children, Video games, in particular often have extremely inappropriate ads that are far from G-rated! It is vital that parents are present and aware of what their child is being exposed to even if it claims to be for children. When is doubt, parents can reference commonsensemedia.org, a website designed to help families make smart media choices. They’ve vetted the programming and suggest age appropriate content for your entire family.
- Try a Night Light: Ward off your child’s nightmares with a nighlight that comes in the form of their favorite character. These days there is a huge variety of nighlights that you and your child and choose from. So long as it's not bright enough to interfere with sleep, it may be a helpful tool.
- Get Creative: Another option is to use creativity and imagination when fighting your child's fears. Many families find that keeping a bottle of "monster spray" at the ready can help, and having your child come up with their own creative solution is always an excellent option.
Try Our Kids Sleep System Risk-Free
We hope these strategies help quell your child's fears and anxieties and make bedtime a more pleasant experience all around. Another important aspect is your child's mattress, as nothing can stoke fears like being unable to fall asleep. At 5 Little Monkeys, we've created a purpose-built children's mattress to help kids fall asleep and stay asleep: try the best kids mattress, completely risk-free!