to feel in despair for my boy

[cjt110]

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?

Absolutely hun I will.

It can feel a lonely world at 3/4 in the morning and it seems everyone else’s child is sleeping soundly for 20 hours at night apart from yours!

LIKE!

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.

Great news!

The school nurse cancelled our appointment today so got to wait another week now.

We had another shit night unfortunately.

Is the sofa bed in your room cjt110?

It's on our lounge. It's next to his room though. We live in an apartment but it's a bit upside down... lounge, kitchen and his room is downstairs. Our bedroom is upstairs

We will put him on a campbed in our room if needed. I know the lounge isn't ideal but he slept soundly whilst I watched tv. The sofabed pulls out to a double size so plenty of space

Well the most important thing is you all got some sleep which will do you the world of good.
Fingers crossed it’s a turning point for you

Yes, he slept through again last night - even if I was awake with DH at 5 when he got up. Apparently DS woke, grabbed his other duvet which we'd left on the sofa and went back to sleep even though DH was in the lounge!

My ds developed a sudden fear of the dark when he started school. I think its stress. I plugged him a nightlight next to his bed and told him it protects him. It's helped a lot.