I am having the same thing as another mom. My son is four months away from being 3 year old. He just recently started saying there are monsters in his room and he literally is sobbing when I mention the thought of going to bed. He wants to sleep in mommy's bed (which by the way, I don't let him). He has slept a couple of times on my bedroom floor since this has started happening. My husband and I are at our wits end. We used to love reading stories and taking our time putting him to bed. But now, I'm dreading the thought of bedtime.
I think that you should listen to him! Is there another room in the house in which he can sleep?
When did all of this begin? Does he say anything more about the minsters?
S.
I posted the same thing on my almost 2 yr old son. I got alot of great responses. I changed his room around, started playing bedtime music, bought a lavendar air fresh, and sleepy time tea (the stuff with chamilome sp?) So far I have been doing all but the tea, and it seems to be helping. He still doesnt like the thought of going to bed, even though he goes in his room and still plays...I dont think its the whole monsters thing that is scaring him, I think its more of a I just dont want to go to bed type of thing. I have started staying in his room and patting his back until he goes to sleep, which in general is only taking me about 20 mins....It sucks but it breaks my heart to hear him scream and cry (I think thats why it gone on for a couple weeks is he knows it gets to me)
Im going to try the tea tonight to see if this helps. Good luck with everything!
K., this happens alot with children at that age. What never scared them before has now got them not wanting to sleep in their rooms. If he really trust in everything you tell him try this, it worked great with my daughter. Hopefully it works with you. Let him know that as his parents no monster are allowed in your home at any time. The only way that they can into the house or into his room is if they ask permission to come in, and seeing that you and your husband know that he does not like the monsters , you have not given them permission to be in his room therefore they can't come in. My daughter knew that when it came to the house stuff that I was the boss and the monsters had to listen to me. It worked and I never had a problem with it again. Good Luck T.
My son is the exact same age. We tried the whole monsters aren't real thing but you know how an imagination can be with a toddler. I started using the air compressor can I use to clean my keyboard and sprayed monsters away. LOL I just made a new label. It works. Every child is different. I have also noticed my son feel more secure with a few stuffed animals in his bed. I do have to check in right before I go to bed because half the time he is holding on to three and laying on the others. I just move them away then. He rarely wakes up when I do
I would believe him and put yourself in his shoes as far as his fear, feelings and emotions and take away the focus on how the bedtime routine has changed from the way you used to like it. Things will change constantly with little kids, some making things easier/more enjoyable...some not.
Can you let him sleep in your room on his mattress on the floor or just move his bed in there? Can you sleep in his room until he falls asleep for as long as his fear still exists? Maybe change the bedroom around completely, making it a 'new room' so that things look different to him when laying in bed (different view, different lighting and shadows), new bedding, wall decorations, a new nite-lite, new cd player for bedtime songs???
I would listen to him and be there for him. Try not to treat these stages as a burden or inconvenience and just be nderstanding of his feelings and needs and he will recognize this and feel even more loved and secure. If he feels as thogh you understand and are there for him, this will likely last a shorter time since he will be more secure.
Hang in there....this is all part of them growing up in their short childhood and soo enough it will be over....
Hi K., My best friend went through the same thing with here kids. So we tried this trick and it really worked! Buy a bottle of fabries, a plain spray bottle and some labels. Fill the empty bottle with the fabries and label the bottle monster be gone! You can always get cute with it by drawing pics and an ingredients list. 30 min before he goes to bed take him in his room to spray the monsters away! Good luck, I hope this helps!
J.
I think I may be "the other mom". I am still having some problems with my son getting up in the middle of the night and crying all the way to our room (running). This morning at 3:00 he wanted socks on. THen he still ended up in our bed around 4. I cannot get him to say that he is scared of anything but I am pretty sure he is. I am going to try the suggestions you get and I will let you know when something works for me! At least we know we are not the only ones and they probably won't be sleeping with us when they are in high school!!! Good luck.
I have experienced the same thing with my nephew. He was really terrified of the idea of going to bed. What really helped was staying really, really calm and reassuring him and every night do a routine of walking through the room, opening the closet, touching all the walls, checking under the bed. After that reading a good story and laying down with him on the bed untill he would fall asleep would avoid having him go into an histerical cry... Also finding a nice subject he could dream about helped a lot...or talk about something he really liked or wanted.
Basically distracting him and reassuring him are the only things that were done and helped!
My son at that age did the same thing but it was b/c he had saw chucke movie at my in-laws house one day.I was at work. After he saw that he was terrifed.We don't see movies like that so when he saw that it scared him bad and bedtime was always a struggle till he got to be 8yrs.Has your child somehow,somewhere seen any bad movie or commercial on tv that has instilled fear into him.We know monster don't exsit.In his little mind says different now matter what you do or say they will still be there.Try to find the root cause of the monster and find out where he heard or saw that, being a small child there is now way he could have come up with the idea of a monster.He saw it or he heard it somewhere.After you have found why he came to this concluison.Then you will be able to help him more.
