3 year old with nightmares

[oscybella]

My 3 yr old ds has recently started waking with horrible nightmares. He is absolutely terrified and soaked with sweat. He also remembers the dreams clearly and is scared to go to bed. Any advice on how to reassure him?

Do you know what the dreams are about? Poor little chap.

Not always the same. Last night it was about wolves and he was convinced there was a wolf under his bed!

Not always the same. Last night it was about wolves and he was convinced there was a wolf under his bed!

How very interesting. Apparently I used to have terrifying nightmares about wolves when I was the same age as your DS. My mother likes to tell this story so I've heard it a few times! She asked me about the wolves and she and I decided that I could make them into friends, so I put flowers on my dream wolves and they were no longer frightening. I do have a very clear memory of an image of a wolf with lovely early 1970s purple and pink flowers on his grey fur. You could try something similar?

I love that idea! I've been trying to make him understand that it's not real and just in his imagination. He's not having any of it though and is convinced it's real! Perhaps that would be would a better way to deal with it. Makes me think of Harry Potter when they have to turn the thing that scares them most into something funny. Thanks x

It is a bit like the Harry Potter "Riddikulus" spell, isn't it? Good luck and lots of love and friendly thoughts to your sweet DS.

My DS has had a similar thing and also about wolves. We tend to try and read lots of stories and make up silly stories before bed making the wolves silly in them or just to get him to dream about different things. His started when he was about 4 and he's 6 and a bit now. He still has nightmares but tend to be once a week at most, not so scary and he can go back to sleep.
DS tended to not want to go to bed and luckily he shares a room with DD so has company but we did end up sitting in the room whilst he went to sleep or sometimes holding him and then doing the same again if he woke up again.

It's a worry and takes time.

I don't know whether you remember 'House of Tiny Tearaways' where a little boy had nightmares about a fox that was nasty to him and his family so they drew a picture of the fox and buried it in the garden to get rid of it. They then found a nice fox (toy) for the boy to have and name which would make sure the nasty fox never came back in the dreams.

My son has a large winnie the pooh who we suggest he tells stories to and talks to him.

Good luck with it and hope you all get some sleep.