![]() Here are some free ones I like:ĭid you know there are podcasts with bedtime stories for children? Usually the hosts have a soothing voice and the stories tend to be pretty short. Try out a few and see what works best for your child. Others have sleep scripts as part of the app as well. Some have nature sounds, some have soothing music. There are apps that have sounds you can have your child listen to as background noise, if they get scared of unusual noises at night. There are some other neat nightlights too, try a new one and see how your child responds. My son loves the idea that a superhero is in his room at night with him. This displays a huge image of Spider-Man wherever the light is pointed. Now my son is partial to the Projectables LED Plug-In Night Light of Spider-Man. It was the Cloud b Twilight Constellation Night Light, and when it was lit up at night, it showed constellations on the ceiling and walls in their room. When my kids were younger, they both loved the what they called their “Turtle” night light. There are so many types of night lights you can try. They can distract themselves from their anxiety by listening to a story while they relax in their bed. The beauty of apps like of Audible is that they usually have a sleep timer. There are so many great kids’ titles out there. One thing my kids love to do is listen to audiobooks in bed. Try doing a whole body progressive muscle relaxation designed especially for for kids. ![]() Usually after tensing and relaxing muscles, your body feels more relaxed. Progressive Muscle Relaxation, or PMR, is a systematic way of going through all your muscle groups to tense and relax the muscles, typically starting at the top of your body and going all the way down. Try reading one of these to help your child realize they’re not the only one who gets scared at night. Sometimes it helps kids to know they're not the only ones who get scared. There are several children’s books that have characters who are afraid of the dark. Read a book to help calm anxiety at night They can keep it and hold it all night long to help them relax and go to sleep. The object isn’t what matters, it’s what the object represents. It could be something like a stuffed animal or a special stone or necklace, or a sweatshirt of yours. ![]() It helps them feel like part of you is still present even when you're not there. This is a special item that helps your child feel comforted. If your child has a hard time separating from you, try a transitional object. Here's one I love called Sleep Tight from the Book Sitting Still Like A Frog by Eline Snel. Or you could have them listen to a pre-recorded script. You can read them a script like this one from Inner Health Studio that is focused on helping them not be afraid of the dark. There are scripts written specifically to help calm children and relax them at night. Try moving night lights and furniture around for a more calming room arrangement. Rearrange the roomĪre there particular spots of the room that seem to be darker or cause more fear at night than others? Go into the bedroom during the day with your child and talk about the spots that make your child nervous. Is it fear of the dark? Is it a worry about something in the closet? Is it monsters? Is it spiders? Figuring out the cause of the fear will help you come up with ways you can help your child combat it. One of the most important things to do is to figure out exactly what is causing the anxiety. What can you do? Here are a few ideas that have worked for my clients and my own children. How many times has this happened? Your child has struggled with their nighttime fears for what feels like forever and you've tried all the tricks you know - setting up a regular routine, reassuring him nothing will happen, night lights, warm milk, laying down with him, etc. You're just about to press play when you hear tiny feet padding down the hall. ![]() You're finally settling onto your couch, remote in hand and ready to start binge watching your latest Netflix obsession. Inside: 12 proven strategies to help your child's anxiety and help them settle in for a long night’s sleep Affiliate links in post, read our disclosure policy
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