DS - 4 - Nightly nightmares

[cjt110]

Posted in AIBU for traffic but also posting here

DS is 4. He has had bad dreams since starting school. Nothing we can pin him down on... it varies from dreams of school friends, to tv characters, to dragons.

It's nightly. Sometimes numerous times in the night. And, understandably so, he won't settle til one of us has been into him to say it's ok and tuck him back in.

I've tried talking to him about the dreams, asking him about them. Giving him a stuffed toy to protect him. Waking him slightly before I go to bed to reset his sleep pattern.

I don't know what more I can do. He gets so distraught.

We are obviously suffering too. Last night it was 4 and 5am nightmares so we are losing sleep too.

Any suggestions?

Has he started school yet? They can become very overstimulated and tired and I have seen this in some of the families I support. I would suggest earlier bedtime with no screen. Mindfulness is really good at regulating the brain. There are YouTube links for children.

Bad dreams can simply become his mind's habit. Change the layout of his room, especially where the bed is, and buy new duvet covers and pillow cases to completely change his sleeping environment.
Have a sleep routine that helps him slow down, and feel safe and secure as he drifts off to sleep. This might include a bath with relaxing bubble bath, reading, or some quiet talk about the pleasant events of the day. Perhaps let him listen to gentle music as he falls asleep. Does he have a night light?
To help him deal with the nightmares, encourage him to come up with a new ending to his bad dream that's silly, magical, or empowering. Perhaps the bad guy falls into a bathtub full of spaghetti or he pushes the monster off a cliff, or that the scary doll in a dream would turn into chocolate and he’d eat it.

Some brilliant ideas thank you.

Yes he started school in September and they have pretty much happened since then. Never before really.

Tonight I've let him pick and his choice was to sleep.on our big pull out sofa in our lounge. Its next to his bedroom anyway so it's not a huge change. Just wondered if it might help. Perhaps he's knocking himself and waking?

We also talked about his dreams. Last night it was Mr Tumble and wiggly worms. A few weeks back it was Mrs Hobbs from Waffle eating washing liquid. I reassured him they were only dreams and that dreams aren't real. Not to be scared and we can talk about them any time.

Here's hoping we have a good night tonight....

Last night i talked to him about his bad dream the night before. We had an hour with the tv off talking, playing, reading. And he slept on our sofabed (pulls out into a double). we didn't hear a peep from him and in fact were up BEFORE him.