Toddler Nightmares
How Can You Overcome Toddler Nightmares?
By Savel Benaya
Toddler Nightmare
Sleep is essential for toddlers, who are going through exponential growth and development patterns. Consistently disrupted sleep can lead to mood and behavior problems. What can you do about toddler nightmares? Is your toddler terrified of being left alone in the dark and waking up with nightmares in the middle of the night? Don’t fret! Fear of the dark and bad dreams are quite common among toddlers who are still separating reality from their vivid imaginations.
If your child has nightmares now and then, a straightforward approach is usually sufficient. The easiest solution of toddler nightmares is to let them crawl into bed with you, but that doesn’t solve the root cause. Plus, unless you have a King sized bed, it’s eventually going to get crowded.
Below we give some tips on how you can help your toddler get through these toddler nightmares:
1. You should avoid any movies, books, and television that describe things that could upset or scare your toddler for the time being.
2. You can provide your toddler with an extra light source such as a nightlight. A nightlight will help your little one see their surroundings (and realize that there are no monsters lurking about) - whether they’re trying to fall asleep or are suddenly woken up by a frightening dream.
3. You can try to give your toddler some sort of talisman - something that makes them feel safe and protected. A favorite stuffed animal can help stand guard and protect them while they are sleeping.
4. You can create a cozy and fun bedtime routine that makes going to bed more enjoyable. Have a fun bubble bath, read some sweet stories, and sing some soothing songs. Routine provides comfort.
5. The last tips. This is the most important that you have to always acknowledge your toddler’s fear. Although you think it might be helpful to tell them that there’s nothing to be scared of, this can feel unsupportive to a toddler. Their fears are very real. Share some stories of how you used to have toddler nightmares or fears of the dark when you were a child. You should tell your toddler that you completely comprehend their fears - that the dark can be a scary place. Checking under the bed together can go a long way!
Occasionally toddler nightmares are a symptom of more significant emotional difficulties. Since toddler nightmares do tend to reduce after the age of five or six, their persistence after that should raise special concern. Regardless of his age, if your toddler’s nightmares continue to be frequent and persist for more than one or two months. Then you should seek professional help if you are not able to identify and help him resolve the stress he is feeling. This is especially true if your toddler also has unreasonable fears during the daytime, such as unwillingness to separate from you; refusal to be in his bedroom alone; reluctance to go to school; or phobias of needles, heights or fires.
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