{"id":11103,"date":"2015-06-02T08:46:29","date_gmt":"2015-06-02T08:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.famifi.com\/oc\/8-extremely-effective-ways-to-help-your-children-conquer-their-fear-of-the-dark\/"},"modified":"2015-06-02T08:46:29","modified_gmt":"2015-06-02T08:46:29","slug":"8-extremely-effective-ways-to-help-your-children-conquer-their-fear-of-the-dark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.familytoday.com\/family\/8-extremely-effective-ways-to-help-your-children-conquer-their-fear-of-the-dark\/","title":{"rendered":"8 extremely effective ways to help your children conquer their fear of the dark"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/head>

Any parent with kids knows that a fear of the dark is inevitable. According to parents.com<\/a>, a fear of the dark is one of the leading fears of young children with most children experiencing it some point during childhood.<\/p>\n\n

And while most kids outgrow this, there are ways to help the process along. Here are a handful of extremely creative ways to help your kids conquer their fear of the dark.<\/p>

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Go for a night walk together<\/h2>\n

For most children, the fear of the dark comes because of the fear of the unknown. When they cannot see they begin to imagine things that could be out there. By going for a night walk, you can discuss the new and exciting things that you can see in the dark, allowing your child to understand darkness.<\/p>\n

Your night walk may be as simple as around the house or a quick summer night's stroll down the street. Both should help.<\/p>\n

Use a nightlight<\/h2>\n

Having just a small amount of light in the room can make a big difference for children. Opt for something simple that poses few risks for kids. The SnapPower<\/a> Guidelight features small guiding lights that illuminate at night, giving your children the perfect amount of night light, while also having sensors that turn the light off during the day. The SnapPower Guidelight is safe, is not bulky and is built right into the faceplate (so you don't have to worry about kids pulling the night light out of the wall). And since it doesn't take up an outlet, you can use it in any room in the house without having to unplug anything.<\/p>

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Play games in the dark<\/h2>\n

Get out the flashlight and make hand puppets. Get out glow-in-the-dark stickers or art supplies and create masterpieces. By making the dark fun, it will become less of a scary thing.<\/p>\n

Use 'Monster Spray'<\/h2>\n

For some children, being told that there are no monsters under their bed is just not enough. That is when you need to remedy the situation - and fast. Fill up a spray bottle with water and label it, \"Monster Spray.\" One spray in each affected area does the trick - until next time.<\/p>\n

Trade the stuffed animal for a light saber or Wiffle bat<\/h2>\n

When the monster spray wears off in the middle of the night, your child may wake up feeling the need to protect himself. By swapping out Teddy for an object that can be used against an oncoming monster, your child may sleep soundly knowing that they have something to protect themself.<\/p>\n

Snack on cheese and crackers<\/h2>\n

Before they brush your teeth, let your child choose his or her favorite dairy snack (ex-nay on the sugar-ay) before retiring to bed. According to an article found in Reader's Digest<\/a>, studies have shown that the calcium in dairy products, helps the brain use the tryptophan found in dairy to manufacture sleep-triggering melatonin.<\/p>

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Let your child tell you what they're scared of<\/h2>\n

Often it is easiest to tell your children that \"there's nothing to be scared of.\" The fact of the matter is, whether the fear is real or not, it's real to them. Validate what your child is scared of by listening to what he or she has to say. Sometimes, just talking about the fear is all it takes to let it go.<\/p>\n

Tell real bedtime stories<\/h2>\n

Some of the most soothing stories are not the ones found on paper, rather the ones that come from you. Tell your children about times when you were afraid. Knowing that Mom or Dad were once afraid of the dark, too, will make your child feel less alone. And it might help you to understand his or her fear a little better as well.<\/p>\n

Take control of bedtime and let SnapPower<\/a> help you help your kids to dispel those fears faster than they appeared in the first place.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>

×<\/span><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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