I do genuinely think I might be being overtired and hormonal but after nearly a month of night terrors I am ready to hit out at whatever I can find excuse to!
About 1-2 months ago, MIL came for a regular visit and brought her usual bag of books with her which ds1 loves and they read them all repeatedly. Now I love MIL to bits but when I overheard this particular book I could have strangled her. It was all about monsters under the bed and obviously ends up saying that it's not a problem (can't remember if the monsters were friendly or not there or what, but you get the idea). But ds1 at only just 2 had never, ever, ever heard or worried about or been afraid of monsters under his wretched bed until then. He'd only ever woken with teething, cold, hunger etc in all his short life. We've not been precious about books with lions or sharks in or whatever, but it had been nothing like Monsters Under the Bed.
Since then he has had night terrors. He wakes sobbing and can't stop. I know sometimes he's woken for cold or illness but then he thinks about these monsters crawling about under his bed. That is of course as far as we can work out. Usually he is incoherent and just the odd word makes it through.
Am I being all PFB about this? Is it normal for children to just start imagining monsters with no reason at this age? Can I reasonably phone MIL every night around 2-3am and then around 5am when ds1 is inconsolable for 30 minutes and make her listen and grovel?
The fact that ds2 (6mo) is waking 2-4 times a night for bf and they alternate to ensure I get no more than 2 hrs a night is probably causing me to react more bitterly than I should too...
AIBU?
To blame MIL for this?
Gentleness · 02/12/2011 21:29
If it is "night terrors" which are a very specific sleep thing, bit like sleep walking - when they are rigid and petrified but still sort of asleep then it is not likely to be related.
If he's scared sh*tless because of the stories then definitely ask your MIL to ditch these stories. Small people can be easily freaked out. DS2 is petrified of Mr Potato Head, you wouldn't believe the night wakings and freak outs we get even with no actual Mr Potato Heads around (he's 2) 
That said at the preschool age it is normal to fixate on certain things as scary so maybe there is an inevitability to it.
Maybe a nightlight and "monster go away spray" (squirty bottle of water you liberally spray around at bedtime) to remedy the damage. And perhaps you could invent a story about the monsters being lonely or friendly or something. Lots of cuddles and hope the phase passes.
YANBU though.
DD who is 2.6 has been having nightmares since she hit about 2 so I think it's pretty normal as don't think DD was exposed to anything specific.. last night she had one about being lost in a toy museum which is a lovely story she's been reading which isn't even remotely scary but she kept crying out the museum was too big and she couldn't find anyone 
... she isn't inconsolable but when she starts, she goes through cycles of waking throughout the night - last night went through 3 times and she came visiting once as well.. exhausting, so you have my sympathy!
I have spoken to lots of people about it as it did really worry me but it's not that odd and is something they grow out of apparently - I hope.. DS is due in about two weeks so I hope it doesn't go on too much longer.. it's always worse when they've been great sleepers before, DD has always been soooo good!
Not sure about monster spray or doing anything that suggests to your child that monsters do exist 
?
I would just repeat that it was a dream, dreams aren't real and monsters do not exist
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Fucking Mil. I reckon you should leave your dh for having such a bitch as a mother.
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