Combatting Nightmares

It’s very common for children to start developing nightmares or night terrors between the ages of 2 and 5. Our dreams are a way for us to process what we are not consciously aware of, and dreams or nightmares are a way for the brain to let off steam. Telling a child that there’s no such thing as monsters and dreams are not real typically will not soothe their fears or calm them down. Empathizing comes in very handy here. Letting them know that you have bad dreams and you don’t like them either makes them feel that they’re not alone. Telling them you do other things to take your mind off the nightmare, like reading, thinking happy thoughts, or imagining eating the most delicious ice cream makes the bad dreams or the nightmare go away.

For more great parenting tips, check out Kimberley’s book, www.TheGoToMomsGuide.com.