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5 year old worries at night

2 replies

ThisIsBanana5 · 21/08/2021 10:55

Not every night, but recently my son has called us up in the evening after bedtime because he's thinking about things he doesn't like. Being chased by a dinosaur, for example.

We have a little chat about how he's feeling, sometimes look at a book as a distraction and have a cuddle and he does manage to go to sleep after a bit of reassurance. This happens before he's drifted off, he's not waking up in the night so it's awake thoughts rather than dreams.

I try not to tell him not to worry because personally I don't find that helpful, I say sometimes I feel the same and it's difficult to know what to do, so I'm sympathetic but not really offering a solution.

Just wondered if anyone had experienced similar and had any good tips on how to deal with this. He doesn't seem anxious or worried at any other time.

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FusionChefGeoff · 21/08/2021 11:15

DD was / is the same. Firstly I just accepted that this was part of my job and if it takes an extra 30 mins every night / her going to sleep in our bed so be it. I found I was getting annoyed having to back up which wasn't fair on her.

Then we started a 'happy list' so started to talk each night about things that make us happy / grateful. Take it in turns so I can show her examples.

We also then wrote her favourite / regular themes on a poster type thing and put them up on her door where she can see from bed. So the sentence then a picture if she's too tired to read it.

She's still worried sometimes and needs extra reassurance but all of the above makes me feel like I'm doing something!

ThisIsBanana5 · 21/08/2021 12:01

Thanks, that's a nice idea to have a happy list. I think he'd like that.

Also remembered we have one of those worry monsters with a zippy mouth that 'eats' your worries so we could have a go at that too.

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