Over time, nightmares can affect children’s psychology. In such moments, calmness and support from parents are essential.
Why do children often have nightmares?
Nightmares, a seemingly simple word, can make children feel helpless and scared at night. So, why do children have nightmares? Actually, there are several reasons behind this that parents should not ignore.
Experiencing fear
Children are more susceptible to fear than adults as they are more vulnerable and have less control over their surroundings.
For instance, darkness, insects, certain patterns, a full moon in the sky, etc., can evoke feelings of fear in children. These emotions may manifest as exaggerations in dreams, leading to nightmares.
Experiencing fear.
Mental stress or overexertion
Like adults, children also experience stress. This stress may stem from environmental changes, such as traveling, having visitors, starting daycare, or a parent going on a business trip.
It could also arise from obstacles such as bedwetting, parental scolding, teacher criticism, or being ostracized by peers. These stresses can also manifest in nightmares.
It’s important to recognize that when children have nightmares, it indicates they’re facing challenges they can’t resolve. Their worries and fears are suppressed and transform into nightmares at night.
Mental stress or overexertion.
3 steps to soothe a child having a nightmare
When a child has a nightmare, parents should offer comforting words and help them calm down and fall back asleep. But what exactly should be done?
Comfort your child
When a child wakes up from a nightmare, what they need most is comfort and the presence of their parents. You can hug them and gently but firmly say, “You’re safe now. I’m here with you, and I’ll protect you.”
These words can help your child feel warmth and gradually soothe their emotions. It’s important to remember that it’s best to comfort your child in their original bed, rather than taking them to another room.
Comfort your child.
Encourage your child to talk about it
Encouraging your child to share their dream can help them release their fears and tension. Parents should also observe their child’s room or surroundings to identify any frightening factors and address them.
For example, help your child identify the “monster” under the bed and explain that the shadow on the window is just a leaf, not a monster, to develop their accurate perception of the real world.
Help your child fall back asleep
Once your child’s emotions have stabilized, encourage them to fall back asleep. To help them sleep easier, you can sing a lullaby or tell them a relaxing story.
In the story, guide your child to imagine beautiful and peaceful scenes, escaping the darkness of the nightmare and returning to sweet dreams.
How to prevent children from having nightmares?
Dreams reflect reality, so parents should make some changes in their children’s lives to reduce the frequency of nightmares.
Ensure your child doesn’t feel scared before bedtime
Avoid letting your child watch scary cartoons or telling scary stories before bed. Also, refrain from using threatening language, such as “If you don’t go to sleep, the big bad wolf will come and get you”, to coerce them into sleeping.
Furthermore, ensure the lighting and temperature in the bedroom are comfortable and safe, minimizing external factors that could trigger fears.
Ensure your child doesn’t feel scared before bedtime.
Establish a consistent sleep schedule and ensure adequate sleep
Children of different ages require varying amounts of sleep, with younger children needing more. Moreover, the optimal sleep duration varies between individuals.
Therefore, it’s crucial to observe the relationship between your child’s sleep schedule and their mental state, arranging a reasonable sleep and rest schedule to prevent frequent nightmares caused by overexertion and sleep deprivation.
Discuss dreams with your child
Nightmares often have themes and are related to certain types of stress in real life. Therefore, parents should discuss dreams with their children and try to identify the themes and connections to their daily lives.
Then, support your child and help them address their real-life issues, thereby significantly reducing stress-related nightmares.
Find ways to overcome nightmares
During the day, talk to your child about facing their dream “monsters” and build their confidence.
For example, ask them, “What would we do if a big monster appeared, so we wouldn’t be scared of it?” Also, share stories about overcoming nightmares.
Find ways to overcome nightmares.
Important reminder: Seek professional help if needed
If your child frequently has nightmares, or if each nightmare is extremely distressing and challenging to soothe, and they experience significant fear and anxiety during the day, seek professional help.
The same applies if your child has recently experienced a traumatic event, and the nightmares started around that time and persist. Each nightmare whispers your child’s inner emotions. Instead of saying, “There’s nothing to be afraid of”, hold them and say, “I’m here, and the monsters can’t get you.”
On the journey to adulthood, fear and anxiety are inevitable, but as long as parents offer support, accept their emotions with patience and love, these “scary monsters” will eventually become bedtime stories. May all children sleep tight, embraced by warm hugs every night.
