Son just turned 4 and just recently started to fuss about going to sleep alone. I usually stay with him for a little while, and then hug/kiss/go with no real problem. About 6 months ago there was a HUGE thunderstorm that set off car alarms right near our house - woke him up out of a sound sleep at about 12-1am. Since then, he's afraid of storms - not totally freaked, but nervous when he knows there could be thunder, and loud thunder does make him cry if it wakes him.
Last week we had about 4 days of storms in a row - of course, at night, so sleep was a challenge and I did spend time comforting him and staying with him as he fell asleep because the storms were happening RIGHT at bedtime. It's been clear and sunny, but he doesn't want to be alone - in his words last night "I don't want you to disappear!".
I did talk to him about this, and it seemed to help. But have any other mamas had a challenge like this? I don't want to let him pull my strings, but I also am not a "tough it out" attitude parent - especially with a kid.
EDIT: Any suggestions for the POST-storm stress - like days later and doesn't want mama to leave him alone? He get's over it, but seems to want extra comfort for a long time. I'm just afraid of being "played" (LOL) cause I'm a softie.
Thanks for your help :)
I'm hitting the library today. Last night was AWFUL - clear skies, but in his head it's Dark+thunder+mommy not in room=not good sleep - sigh! I'm also going to get a cheap, loud fan for him for noise cover up. Hopefully we can get him back to fear-free sleeping.
We had the same problem last week with out son too, we are in Denton. We finally just left his closet light on and the door open, and let him look out of the window to make sure all was ok. If he got up we reminded him it was bed time and he had to go back to bed. It works for us.
i would read some books to him about storms and kids who were afraid of lightning and got over it. Check out the local library, then if you find a book you love buy it online to read over and over. Do you let him keep his door open and listen to the family noise? that helped when my son was 4, he prefered to hear us and dropped off to sleep better than in a quiet room with door closed
Get a sound machine for his room Neither of my kids even hear the storms with theirs running. We have the Marpac Sleepmate 980. Can't live without it!
I had trouble keeping my son in his room through the whole night. He would always end up in my bed scared and tell me theres a ghost or a monster in his room. I figured out it was the gate squeeking and tree limbs scratching the house. I put a very loud fan in his room and that helped tremendously. It's just a $10 black fan, the cheaper the better, because it makes such a loud constant sound, it drowns out the noises and he sleeps soundly all night.
