My boys petrified of the dark

[bedtimestories]

How can we help him? He won't enter a room if it's in half light and there is a strange shape. If we forget to turn his night light on he wakes us up crying in the middle of the night.

Bump

How old is he?
Get a nightlight that is plugged in so stays on all night?

He's five, the nightlight does stay on all night,but occasionally forget! I don't know what to tell him or if there is anything I can do to help him. Everybody else is more than comfortable walking around in the dark

I wouldn't worry too much at this age, just leave him a light on

We leave the landing light on and he has a bear to cuddle and listens to CBeebies radio as he goes to sleep. If he's really struggling he comes in with us.

Maybe he needs some background noise while he's sleeps (don't want to introduce a sleep aid). He couldn't fall asleep if it was super quiet and easily fell asleep if it was very noisy

Why does he need background noise if he is scared of the dark?

Has he seen an optician? Things are scarier at night if eyesight is poor

He use to sleep better when he was much younger if there was background noise. We're at the opticians soon, so maybe needs glasses now. Me and hubby wear them

Sorry I got confused I didn't realise it was about sleeping problems

Four year old daughter hates the dark (it’s a newish thing within the last 18 months). Won’t go downstairs or upstairs alone even if it’s light. Sleeps with a bedside light on all night, and the hall light. I assume it’s just their imagination and I don’t worry about it really - she’ll either grow out of it or she won’t and I don’t think there’s much I can do to influence it?

Tonight when I was putting him to bed he told me he's scared when I go. Maybe I just need to ask him what he needs/ how I can help