My DS is just 3 and has recently become scared of his room in the dark. He woke up a few mornings ago from a bad dream I think and was very upset and scared. He has talked of not wanting his bed to be dark ever since and has been upset and worried at bedtime and waking up that way too.
I bought him a cuddly toy that glows hoping this would help. The first night it helped him to settle quite well. He was still worried and kept calling out for me but I didn't have to stay with him. The 2nd night with this toy we stayed over at his grandpas house. Surprisingly he slept in a strange room in a travel cot really well and was mostly happy. Tonight he is back in his own room and was really upset again at bedtime. Talking again of not wanting his bed to be dark. His room is fairly well lit up from the hallway light and he had his cuddly toy lit up. So it's not the dark as such that's the problem - it seems to be something about his bed being the dark.
We were planning to change him into his big boy bed soon, as he still has the sides up on his cotbed, so do wonder whether to try this now in an attempt to break the way he has started to feel about his bed.
Anyway this is all new to me and was wondering if others who had been through this had any tips on how to help him past this? Did it last long with your child? I find it really sad as he's always been so happy and good at bedtime often singing himself to sleep.
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3yr old suddenly scared of dark
3 replies
SalsaP · 27/12/2014 14:20
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