Help. Ds recently become terrified in the house

[Choufleur]

Ds got really freaked about a Halloween costume a few weeks ago and was scared that a vampire was going to kidnap him (no idea where he got the kidnapping thing from). He now won't go upstairs on his own, frequently yells me when I'm in another room because he's scared - can't/won't say what of, keeps waking up in the night scared of things coming out of his cupboard and is generally nervous.

Any ideas to try to help him get over this? Or have any techniques for him calming himself down. He's 5.

Anyone?

Bumping...I have a 6 yr old doing exactly the same, won't stay in a room on his own at all...

Ds hasn't got quite that bad. Will stay in living room if I'm in the kitchen but has to have the dog sit with him. Do you know what ds is scared of mum1369

I can empathise, although dd2 is terrified of fireworks and we have had over a week of her waking in the night and running screaming in to our room.

We just talk to her regularly to allay her fears during the day and before bed, and leave her door wide open at night.

Not sure what else one can do. Dd2 is getting better, so maybe just give it time.

Nothing in particular. His cousins (older) scared him when we were all on holiday together, took him a month to tell me...basically I think he has just realised that there are 'bad' people in the world and his safe little world is not real. In reality of course, the worst is very unlikely to happen. But to him having thought everything was perfectly fine to realising potentially this might not be true, has totally freaked him out and his 6 yr old mind is erring on the worst possibilities. I did see some good advice on another thread ages ago, saying that we should make a list (physically on paper) of all the things that worried them most, And then explain why they would not happen....burglar alarms etc etc. I think it is a phase he has to go through, granted it has lasted longer than I expected and I am starting to get a bit concerned.

Have you got a nightlight that they can control? Is their anything in their room freaking them out? Hallway light on?

Perhaps have a chase the vampires away 'game'. You take charge and take it very seriously and together your go through all the cupboards, corners etc and 'remove' vampires.

When my 6 yr old was about he suddenly became hysterical about his room. Went on for months until he managed to explain that there was a man in his room at night - turned out to be the end of the curtain pole casting a shadow in his room.

we have been having the same problem with 3yr old since Halloween, he wants someone to go upstairs with him when he uses the toilet now, he was doing really well with independent toilet use before Halloween. sigh

we have been having the same problem with 3yr old since Halloween, he wants someone to go upstairs with him when he uses the toilet now, he was doing really well with independent toilet use before Halloween. -sigh

He has a wall night light, which is quite bright, a soft glowing animal night light and a torch in his bedroom. We've started leaving the bedroom light next to his on with the door open (landing light shines straight into our bedroom). We have fashioned a lock for his cupboard and talked about why he's scared and how he is safe - me, dh are there, dog is downstairs would bark if he heard anything etc.

Also have a dream catcher in his room which catches his dreams (good and bad) and we can shake away out of window (neighbours probably think I'm mad).