Help in overcoming my 10 yr olds fear of the dark?

Question

My 10 y/o is so afraid of the dark that he would rather wait for someone else to go to the bathroom (upstairs), that go alone. He will bare the pain waiting. I've tried everything I can think of to help. It is never pitch black in the house. You can walk around the at night without a light by all the night lights that are on. I can' afford to take him to a counselor, tried that once and it was massive expensive with no help. A plead to moms and dads to help me. I'm sure some of you have had similar problems. Please help!

Answer 1

sorry but my kids slept in the dark since birth... but heres an idea give him a flash light and see if it helps theirs nothing a counselor can do its something he may have to overcome on his own some never overcome it.

Answer 2

Just on the surface... it has nothing to do with rational thinking or  intellectually overcoming the problem at that age.  I think I would advise being very supportive...going with him.  In time it should resolve itself....and he will have childhood memories of his Dad being sensitive to his feelings and a protector.  

It will be reinforced over time...that he is safe and nothing will happen.  He will probably come up with his own way to cope with it that will work better than what you will try to suggest.

Do not ridicule or exploit his feelings... it will set the baseline for what he will share with you as he gets older.

Answer 3

How about a battery powered lantern that he can carry with him?  They usually put off a pretty bright light.  That might make him feel more comfortable.  You will probably just have to let him outgrow this.

Answer 4

I am with Bullet...I am almost 15 and the dark still spooks me out sometimes...my house is on a hill so i creaks all the time...and that kinda creeps me out...my fear has gotten better though...I used to have too sleep with a teddy bear but i have gotten  more brave as i have learned what the sound are...but I still have a nightlight..my bedroom is connected with my bathroom so it is in the bathroom and it is at an angle where u can see in the bathroom and it puts some light into my room...luckily it is not a big light....

Answer 5

OK this is what I did with my 8 yr old! I used to use a bright light bulb.. and then about every week or so I would put it in a softer light.. he would get used to each setting until he barely noticed it at all.. I mean it took almost 1 1/2 months but it worked and now he will walk through the dark with no problem!!

Have you asked him yourself why he is so scared??

Good Luck!!

Answer 6

my 11 yr old was the same way for a long time. he would go to bed with the light on and i would shut it off after he fell asleep. i just let it go with time and he is getting over it quite well now. some things you just have to be patient with.

Answer 7

Why are you worried? I'm 13 and I'm still kinda spooked out of the dark, I feel like something is gonna reach out behind me and grab my shoulder. He's not always gonna be scared of it, what's the rush?

Anyway if you still want him to not be afriad of the dark. Just tell him it's gonna be the same. Take him into a room turn the light on. Have him look around the room, then tell him your gonna turn it off for 2 seconds, have him count with you. Do that then turn it back on and show him nothing has changed. But I really wouldn't worry about it, he's gonna grow out of it some time, you shouldn't rush.

Answer 8

My children are also afraid of the dark. Yeah, I tried different things with night lights and such. But lately I have been just keeping the kitchen, bathroom, and living room light on all the time. I know it does get expensive but it beats getting woke up in the middle of the night because they want to go to the bathroom because they are scared.

Answer 9

wow ten years old and still afraid of the dark... im 14 and still afraid! ive found if you start with a bright light and get a smaller and smaller llight it helps till there is none at all. i hope i helped!!! ")

Answer 10

YOU SHOULD JUST EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO HARM HIM AND GOD IS WATCHING OVER HIM AND JUST SPEND A LITTLE TIME WITH HIM EACH NITE B4 BED>

Answer 11

Get him some nightlights or his own flashlight that will help him :)

Answer 12

Can you make him talk about what he is afraid off? Maybe let him draw the house at night and find something there?

Then you could at least talk about it and try to help. Maybe he should stop watching TV for a while?

In the meantime I like the flashlight idea a lot. Just give him time and the possibility to live happily even with his fears.

Answer 13

its a bit mean...

but pretend there is a power outage...

or your fuses blew out.

idk how smart they are but try it.