Night-time but not SLEEP time - HELP!!!!!!!

[Granny8]

Please can anyone help - our 5 year old daughter (youngest of 4) has never been a great sleeper but has suddenly started being very scared when going to bed and even once she is asleep wakes up many many times during the night - each time with a different fear - my tummy hurts, my eye hurts etc. etc., bad men coming in to the room, burglars, etc. etc. Comes into our room and takes ages to settle again as she says she is so scared. Surrounded by soft toys who she thinks of as "friends", tried relaxing CDs, talked her through it etc. etc. There don't appear to be any problems at school where she is in Year 1 having already had a successful Reception Year. I'm a walking zombie now and don't know what else to try....any ideas out there PLEASE.........

First off, don't let her come into your room. That should be a no-no. The aim is to resettle her in her own room. does she have a nightlight? If not, maybe invest in one.

Go in, settle her, but make her understand she must remain in her own room. Stay with her for a bit. Leave for a few minutes, go back in to check on her, leave again. If she gets out of bed, put her back in again and resettle her.

Have a consistant bedtime routine - eg bath, supper, story, cuddle, milk, bed..so she knows whats coming.

Invest in some monster repellent (yes you can get it!)

I'm afraid there's no way of sorting it that doesn't leave you knackered in the short term (sorry) but it takes time to sort it out.

Maybe a star chart - star for each night she remains in her own room - X number of stars in a line (ie no gap where she came into bed with you one night!) gets

Have you been burgled btw? or any of your relatives, or friends? If so, she could be anxious about that.