Do you think it's instinctive for a child to be afraid of the dark?

Question

Ok i nor my daughter's father haven't given how little girl any reason be scared, nothing no monsters in your closet nothing. And for a while she loved sleeping in her room then suddenly she wanted to sleep in my bed or when she with dad in his. what can i do to calm her nerve enough for her sleep by her. I mean i've tried everything from reading bedtime stories, sleeping in her bed with her and buying nightlights

WHAT CAN I DO !

Answer 1

well its common, what you cant see u dont understand or feel safe about. So the first thing that comes to mind is fear, yes it is instinctive  

Answer 2

What has changed in her to cause this change?

Something has happened to cause this change in her life and you have to investigate it. Was she stuffed into a closet at the day care by some mean children? Did some kid at school threated her with a scary stroy?

A change of this magnitude means she is personally unsettled

Answer 3

I would tell her that god made nighttime so she can sleep and have good dreams and wake up the next day with plenty of energy to eat and play. Tell her that all the little animals, and every other little kid in the planet sleeps at nighttime.

Answer 4

Ask her why she's afraid of the dark. If it's monsters then what I do with the kids I babysit that are afraid of monsters is that I have a spray water bottle that says Monster Be Gone on it. I ask the child where the monster is and wherever they say it is I spray the water there. If they ask how it works I say it's made with the same ingredients that they use in bug spray to kill the bugs and that bugs and monsters die from the same things. If it's that she can't see put a lamp in here room. If she wants to see something she can turn it on whenever she wants. If she wants to keep it on let her be. I'm 13 and still afraid of the dark. I just sleep with a lamp on that I have in the corner of my room. Hope everything works out.

Answer 5

she just have a really strong imagination....

anyone are afraid  to something they dont know...

Answer 6

I think most children are afraid of the dark. I was.

Answer 7

First of all – never make fun or put them down for having a fear. It is best to sit down together (during the day, not before bed time) and discuss with her what is that she thinks she’s scared of. Try to be understanding. Ask her what she thinks the solution is to her fears.



Second – I use a little night-light. It’s very dim. I turn it off after they fall asleep.

I know some people who use a simple bottle spray filled with water to “spray monsters away”.

You child simply has a great imagination. Maybe you can ask her to tell you some stories and see how she resolves them at the end. Put her imagination to good use! Good luck

Answer 8

im not a child and im still afraid of the dark get over it!

Answer 9

Just be patient with her, don't make her feel bad for needing you. It's a phase that she will grow out of :) good luck.

Answer 10

Bribe her by telling her that sleeping in her own room for a month you will buy her a scooter or something that she will enjoy it worked on my sister and it should work with her

Answer 11

my sister(7) is and i think my momma is to she always has the light on @ night time or the tv but me and my daddy aren't maybe it is when we frst bought my other sister now 6months bck frm the hostipital she was scared and it was dark outside maybe we are all a little scared

Answer 12

no clue

Answer 13

idk, i am afraid f the dark and i am 14, i always sleep with my dolphin light on, or the tv or else i can't stand it.

Answer 14

I do. Suddenly, my 2 year old was afraid of the dark. No idea why. He wants the light on now, so it stays on all night. At the same time this developed, he also wanted mommy & daddy to stay with him. You didn't mention how old your daughter is.. I recommend reading books about nighttime. My son now begs for these books to be read before bedtime. They seem to comfort and reassure him. Check your library for these 2 of his favorites: "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark" and "Bedtime for Frances" (I skip a few lines because he is too young to hear about giants, etc) Also, "Llama Llama Red Pajama" for the mommy/daddy have to leave thing. Good luck!

Answer 15

People are afraid of the unknown, and that's just what darkness is.  You've no idea what can be around the corner, or anything.  It's a pretty natural thing.  She'll get over it, and probably never in it's entirety, but that's ok, because most people are scared of the dark...especially those with any sort of imagination.

Answer 16

Ask her to show you what is scaring her. Go with her and say show me where it is or what do you see. She maybe scared because she saw something on tv or something. Just keep doing what your doing.  

Answer 17

GO to the bathroom and turn out the lights.  Turn them on and off like a disco.  Have fun.  Then leave them off and see who can laugh the loudest in the dark or do something silly in the pitch darkness.  Then let her close the door on you and tell her that you won't come out of the dark bathroom untill she lets you. She can stand in the hall and let you wait n the dark.  Then it is your turn.  Just let her stay a few seconds and then make it longer as you go back and forth with the game.  She will then associate dark with fun not scary things

Answer 18

its natural for a kid to be afraid of the dark at some point.its just a phase you should just wait till shes ready to sleep in the dark alone.

Answer 19

stay with her a while in the dark. open the closets, check them then close them shut. leave the room door open, and have the hallway light on.

i was afraid of the dark when i was young. this helped me

Answer 20

Fear of the dark might not be instinctive, but it is normal. I'm not therapist, so this isn't cannon or anything, but I would try to convince her, after she has laid in bed with you for awhile, to go back to bed. Worked for me.

Answer 21

read her a book, use night lights, then tuck her in say good night and smile sweetly when u leave the room

(i read tucking em in give them a sense of protection and surcurity..)

or if she wont sleep wiht out u try listening 2 music while stoke her hair or sumthing?

Answer 22

maybe you should try playing relaxing bedtime music...

it worked for my neighbor's daughter :)

Answer 23

Yes, almost all kids are afraid of the dark, especially at night. They usually start being afraid when they turn 2. This is almost unavoidable. You can try buying them a night light to turn on at night, one that lights up every corner of the room. (not too bright, just bright enough that they can see a bit around them) You can also try staying with them until they are asleep. Try reading a book, or just talking soothingly to them. Soon, they will fall asleep, and you can leave. Hope this helps!  

Answer 24

Give her a flashlight and turn off the lights. Go around her room and check for monster etc. That way she gets to see there is nothing to be afraid of. Let her sleep with the flashlight.  

Answer 25

it's not really the dark she's scared of it's being alone' the dark is an excuse.  

Answer 26

its an emotional thing. she has to get over it on her own.

Answer 27

she had a super bad dream sleep w/ her in her new room until she has fallen asleep until she is proven her room is safe from monsters

Answer 28

IDK honestly because if I did I wouldn't be 16 years old still afraid of the dark. I went years without being afraid of the dark (like 9 years) then one day I turned off all the lights and the tv and was totally freaked out by the fact that it was so dark I couldn't even see my hand in front of my own face. I believe I was afraid because I used to always fall asleep with the tv on which was sort of like my night light. When I tried sleeping without the tv I totally freaked. So I'm guessing what you can do is put a sleep time on your daughter's tv in her room (if she has one in there) and let you daughter watch t.v. with the lights off until she falls asleep. However this is only a temporary solution.

Answer 29

Yes, it's perfectly normal for a child to suddenly become afraid of the dark.  My 5-year-old slept in a very dark room from the time he was about 6 weeks old and then, suddenly, after he turned 5, he was afraid of the dark and wouldn't go to bed.  I know it sounds trite, but you just need to keep up with what you're doing.  Having a consistent bedtime routine is very calming--make sure you and dad are on board with that and that you do the same or very similar things (a bath, a book, an extra cuddle, maybe a special song, then lights out).  Have a nightlight.  Maybe you explain to her that she has to sleep in her bed and you in yours, but that you will stay in her room and cuddle with her an extra five minutes after the lights are out (with the nightlight on).  Let her pick out the nightlight.  

And make sure that you aren't exposing her to potentially scary stuff on TV and movies.  Some things that we don't find scary can be very frightening to a little child in a dark room (like Scar on the Lion King flying through the flames at the end of the movie when he is attacking Simba).  Or the whole movie E.T.--this gave my little brother night terrors from the age of 3 until about the age of 11.  A lot of people think certain movies are harmless, but there can be one or two parts that really frighten a child to the point of not sleeping.  Even commercials on primetime TV can be frightening (they even frighten me sometimes!).  

Good luck.  Those kind of sleep issues are the hardest.  I know, I've been there (and I'm sure I have plenty of years to be there again!).

Answer 30

The same thing happened to my son.  He now sleeps with a night light, soft music and the door open.  He's a bit older now and still looks for opportunities to climb into our bed, but all of the above help.  Just be patient.  Now that my son is a bit older he has explained that his imagination runs away with him.  And like someone else said, he doesn't want to be alone.  I think when kids are very young they can't imagine all of the world's dangers.  When they get a bit older they can begin to imagine all kinds of scary things.  I always talk with my son about some fun things to think about as he goes to sleep.  Hang in there, be patient and understanding.  It will get better.