I hope as a Dad I'm allowed to post here. I find the forum wonderfully helpful and often find myself using it for research or just opinions. It's always comforting to know that we aren't alone at times, as parents.
My daughter is 7 and every night I read to her for about 30-45 minutes. I have done since she was born. We have quiet time before bed. No tablet. Children's TV, no sugary drinks, all the usual stuff. She's very habitual and hates change of routine so actually we do the same thing every night and always have. Even down to the time she does certain things like has her supper. Disruption to that upsets her night sleeping but usually only once through the night and as a one off.
The majority of the time I can get her to sleep and for a period of time (between Oct 22 and Dec 22) she slept through the night. Believe it or not, really for the first time ever consecutively.
She's always been a light sleeper and a bad sleeper. I've slept on her floor numerous times because it is harder to get her out of the habit of sleeping in my bed than it is to get her out of the habit of having me on the floor.
She is super anxious. She worries about everything. Being burgled, snakes, spiders, even flies. I feel like she masks a lot of her anxiety but it comes out at night.
December is a bad time because she hates the thought of Santa and Elves etc. We don't visit Santa and we can't do Elf on the Shelf (thank goodness) as it spooks her out. I feel like this contributes to a bad night sleep throughout December anyway. So all the work put in through the year to help her settle is ruined in December.
Just lately she has started waking two or three times a night again and most of the time she won't go back to sleep after 2 or 3am. I managed to get her back to sleep last night laid on the sofa with me. My bed, her bed, me on her floor etc. None of it worked and eventually at 4am tried the sofa.
Basically, ignoring my boring moan I just wondered if there's anything anyone can recommend for anxiety in children. I've seen vitamins, I've seen drops like NDF sleepy. I've seen all sorts but want something people recommend. I know there's no one cure but I'm willing to try anything for her sake.
I've tried sleepy cream by Lush. That worked well when she was younger but not so much now.
I also have Feather and Down Pillow Spray which is lovely but only works when she's not had it for a week or so. Every night and she becomes accustomed to it and the effect wears off.
If you'd recommend anything I'd love to hear it. Anything to help with anxiety for children would benefit her both during the day and night.
Thank you.