My teenager is afraid of the dark: 5 tips to reassure him

Posted by zuu on May 27th, 2018

The fear of darkness is common among teenagers who imagine they are in the presence of monsters and wolves hidden under the bed. To reassure them and help them sleep, here are some tips.

It is usually between 2 and 5 years old that the first fears appear in the child. And when the night comes, at bedtime, your toddler panics, imagining monsters in his room, hidden under the bed and ready to emerge as soon as his eyes are closed. Worse still, wolves sleep in the closet and may wake up when you leave the room. It is therefore impossible for your child to sleep until he feels safe. Especially since these fears, quite normal "will not disappear overnight, but very gradually over the months, " says Professor Marcel Rufo in his book " raising his child " in the Hachette 2015 edition. So, help him sleep, here are 5 ways to reassure him.

Avoid total darkness

teens are afraid of the dark, so do not dive them in the dark! " Simple arrangements will help him overcome the fear of darkness: a night light, the door ajar on the corridor lit and a good bear cozy and protective in general, " advises Marcel Rufo.

 

Encourage him to confide his fears

Listen and ask him to put words on what scares him. He will see that you take it seriously and when he tells you that the witches are hiding in the closet, you can prove to yourself that they are not there. Start by checking in his room all the places that could shelter according to him monsters, ferocious beasts, and wizards. Open the cupboard, look under the bed saying " You see, there is nothing! " But it is essential to accompany this approach with an explanation: " the wizards and monsters exist only in books, Tigers only live in the jungle and you are safe in your room his book, Marcel Rufo also advises to help him tame his surroundings: " You can teach him to look at the night, to recognize what surrounds him and take his hand in hand to take a walk at night through the house, if needed with a flashlight . "

Stay available, if needed

After having reassured and calmed down, your teenager needs to know that dad or mom will be next door in the living room. A way for him to feel protected when he starts to close his eyes and feel your presence, just in case. 

Give him confidence

Your little boy is afraid of the dark? Still, he is a tall man and he is much stronger than wolves! Besides, he says it himself sometimes: he is as muscular as his favorite heroes. Iron Man, Spider-Man or Batman would not be afraid of anything! Also make him aware that he is usually very brave, much more than you when you were his age since you were afraid to ride a bike and fall, while he manages to make two wheels and to take bumps! In other words, you are proud of him. To give him confidence in himself is also a way of reassuring him.

Read him a positive story before sleeping

Kids love to read stories before sleeping. But there's no question of telling him stories of monster and witches unless it's a book in which the child manages to overcome his fears. Otherwise, choose a rather happy and positive tale to focus on something else. You can also leave him a little music before telling him good night ..

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zuu

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zuu
Joined: May 27th, 2018
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