Twins, 4.5 having nightmares.

[Peetle]

I have twin girls who are 4.5 and who are generally pretty good sleepers. However, over the last couple of weeks they've both started having nightmares quite often; waking up in the middle of the night, crying and quite distressed. Currently we've just brought whichever one has woken into bed with us (they've not had a bad night at the same time, yet). But this isn't
really a solution; one of them snores terribly and they're both awful wrigglers so mummy and daddy don't get much sleep. It's also getting to the point where they don't want to go to their bedrooms at bedtime.

They have recently started reception and although they're enjoying it, they are quite knackered by the experience. We have a pretty good routine at night though I'm getting wary of evening DVDs; almost every Disney has death or "bad ladies" in it. The girls haven't mentioned anything specific in their nightmares and I'm reluctant to get them to dwell on them, plus the subject
of a nightmare may have nothing to do with the feeling of abject terror it inspires.

I was just wondering if anyone has any similar experiences and if it's a phase or if there's anything else we could do.

My DD is 4.5 and has always had nightmares from about 2, peaking at night terrors between 3-4. I find that over stimulation triggers the nightmares, once they start she becomes so exhausting that its a vicious cycle. However, she is also became convinced that she was going to have a nightmare before she went to bed and it became a habit, especially when it was 3 times a night.

We tried nightlights, soft toys, changing the end of the the bed to the non-scary end, searching the room for monsters, you name it. Then I read on Super Nanny (which I do not frequent but was desperate after months of broken nights) that you can introduce the Sleep Fairy. The Sleep Fairy (cousin of the Tooth Fairy) comes whilst they are sleeping and if they have a good restful night with no screaming for Mummy (and believe me my DD would scream like her arms were being dislocated and did regularly seem really distressed) then the sleep fairy would reward her.

The reward needs to be important to the child and instant. Whatever makes your child tick. So, on the first night I explained this and left a special cup out for said sleep fairy and the first night was a semi-success so I left a small sweet that I knew she really loved and the second night was a total success. I was gobbed smacked and felt quite a bit duped as I had gotten up to her night after night and she really really was upset. What I worked out was it was all about how she went to sleep, if she was determined to get the sweet she would think 'happy thoughts' and not wake. It was amazing and I am not given to fluff or hysteria believe me.

Have now weaned her off the sleep fairy and she is fine and dandy. If I get a whiff of her convincing herself she will have bad dreams I reintroduce said fairy and within a night she is fine. Once fine I leave it for a few nights and withdraw said fairy again.

I was honestly amazed. I guess some people don't want to give their kids sweets but you can use the sticker approach (good Sleep Fairy Sticker chart to download on Super Nanny Website) to build up to to a reward but I am quite chilled and DD eats very well normally so I can forgo the odd Jelly Baby.... which is her tonic :)

Good luck!!

That is so helpful. Dd is nearly five and doesnt have nightmares during the night but is absolutely hysterical at bedtime because she will have bad dreams and she "doesnt like the people getting close up in her face" Will try this !