Afraid of the Dark

Torismom · Jan 31st, 2013, 10:23 AM

My five year old is deathly afraid of the dark. Is it normal for a child to be so afraid of the dark. Actually, she's afraid of many things. From pictures to fake plants. What puzzles me most about her fears is that she didn't start acting this way until she was about 4.5yrs old. I was thinking that maybe at that time she began to be more aware. Does anyone know of any methods I can try to help her overcome these fears?

alicecooper · Jan 31st, 2013, 14:43 PM

how about a plug-in night light in the room? We have one in the boys' room. It's just a little thing, plugs into the plug socket.

Oh and we've ALWAYS left the kids' bedroom doors open an inch or two, and we keep the landing light on (which is a very dim light) - so just enough that the bedrooms aren't in pitch blackness.

Jenny · Jan 31st, 2013, 20:20 PM

Hi there!

Like Alice suggested, try getting a night light. My son was deathly afraid when he was 3-4ish and has outgrown it, now 8 (he's been fine for a couple of years now). It's my daughter that is afraid at this stage, just turning 5 so we keep a night light in her room and she is ok. But yes, she freaks out if I even suggest trying to sleep without it. I'm sure she'll grow out of it too, I remember being terrified of the dark at her age, it sucks

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April76 · Feb 18th, 2013, 10:18 AM

I agree with the night light idea. Maybe show the light to your child and explain to her what it is? Maybe leave her door open a bit at night or have a light on in the landing.

I was petrified of the dark when i was young and im still not keen on a dark room (thankfully my baby has a night light). It didnt help that our house was burgled when i was 8 and we were all upstairs sleeping.

embo216 · Feb 18th, 2013, 10:19 AM

Yea my nearly 5 year old has always been scared of the dark

She has a nightlight and I keep her door open a little with the landing light on

lesleyann · Feb 21st, 2013, 16:27 PM

Kyle is so bad at the moment he has to have his bedroom light on and his door open with the landing light on.. He will even ask for the living room light on in the day time if its not super bright nothing wrong with his sight though but deathly scared of the dark

lindseymw · Feb 24th, 2013, 10:42 AM

Joshua went through a phase of being afraid of the dark.

We bought him a torch night light. Basically when left on the base, it's a night light or you can take it off & use it as a torch. He absolutely loves it.

kmbabycrazy · Feb 27th, 2013, 10:43 AM

My son is the same. We leave his door open a little, he has a little night light and he also has a torch next to his bed if he wants it. We just figure he'll grow out of it eventually xx

erinlou · Mar 4th, 2013, 17:01 PM

My 6 year old and 4 year old are both similar. My 6 year old isn't that bad anymore but we still use a nightlight for her, even though she'd probably be alright without it.

My 4 year old has a nightlight on his bedside table, which is only pretty dim so he always asks for the door to be open with a little bit of light coming through.

He actually told me that he likes the light coming through the door but he also likes hearing me and my DH talk from downstairs. It must comfort him a little or something, but I thought that was sweet.

I don't think it's anything to be worried about, she'll probably grow out of it. I vaguely remember being terrified of the dark when I was young too but I grew out of that pretty fast.

Jan 31st, 2013, 10:23 AM	#1
Torismom Waiting To Try (WTT) New BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: South Carolina Posts: 8	Afraid of the Dark My five year old is deathly afraid of the dark. Is it normal for a child to be so afraid of the dark. Actually, she's afraid of many things. From pictures to fake plants. What puzzles me most about her fears is that she didn't start acting this way until she was about 4.5yrs old. I was thinking that maybe at that time she began to be more aware. Does anyone know of any methods I can try to help her overcome these fears?

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Jan 31st, 2013, 14:43 PM	#2
alicecooper Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK Posts: 1,729	how about a plug-in night light in the room? We have one in the boys' room. It's just a little thing, plugs into the plug socket. Oh and we've ALWAYS left the kids' bedroom doors open an inch or two, and we keep the landing light on (which is a very dim light) - so just enough that the bedrooms aren't in pitch blackness.

Status: Offline

Jan 31st, 2013, 20:20 PM	#3
Jenny Trying to conceive (TTC) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Alberta (Canada) Posts: 2,210	Hi there! Like Alice suggested, try getting a night light. My son was deathly afraid when he was 3-4ish and has outgrown it, now 8 (he's been fine for a couple of years now). It's my daughter that is afraid at this stage, just turning 5 so we keep a night light in her room and she is ok. But yes, she freaks out if I even suggest trying to sleep without it. I'm sure she'll grow out of it too, I remember being terrified of the dark at her age, it sucks .

Status: Offline

Feb 18th, 2013, 10:18 AM	#4
April76 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 442	I agree with the night light idea. Maybe show the light to your child and explain to her what it is? Maybe leave her door open a bit at night or have a light on in the landing. I was petrified of the dark when i was young and im still not keen on a dark room (thankfully my baby has a night light). It didnt help that our house was burgled when i was 8 and we were all upstairs sleeping.

Status: Offline

Feb 18th, 2013, 10:19 AM	#5
embo216 Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: May 2008 Location: Essex Posts: 10,616	Yea my nearly 5 year old has always been scared of the dark She has a nightlight and I keep her door open a little with the landing light on

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Feb 21st, 2013, 16:27 PM	#6
lesleyann Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Peterborough, England Posts: 8,628	Kyle is so bad at the moment he has to have his bedroom light on and his door open with the landing light on.. He will even ask for the living room light on in the day time if its not super bright nothing wrong with his sight though but deathly scared of the dark

Status: Offline

Feb 24th, 2013, 10:42 AM	#7
lindseymw Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: North Yorks Posts: 3,165	Joshua went through a phase of being afraid of the dark. We bought him a torch night light. Basically when left on the base, it's a night light or you can take it off & use it as a torch. He absolutely loves it.

Status: Offline

Feb 27th, 2013, 10:43 AM	#8
kmbabycrazy Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Scarborough, UK Posts: 5,279	My son is the same. We leave his door open a little, he has a little night light and he also has a torch next to his bed if he wants it. We just figure he'll grow out of it eventually xx

Status: Offline

Mar 4th, 2013, 17:01 PM	#9
erinlou Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 26	My 6 year old and 4 year old are both similar. My 6 year old isn't that bad anymore but we still use a nightlight for her, even though she'd probably be alright without it. My 4 year old has a nightlight on his bedside table, which is only pretty dim so he always asks for the door to be open with a little bit of light coming through. He actually told me that he likes the light coming through the door but he also likes hearing me and my DH talk from downstairs. It must comfort him a little or something, but I thought that was sweet. I don't think it's anything to be worried about, she'll probably grow out of it. I vaguely remember being terrified of the dark when I was young too but I grew out of that pretty fast.

Status: Offline

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