Dealing with Night Time Fears

We had something similar happen when my boy was that age. We bought a few regular, nice smelling (think : lavender or vanilla) room spray & wrapped them in fun wrapping paper (you can also just use plain, white paper & write on it if you want).

We labled each a different name, ie : "Monster Spray", "Scary Noises Spray", etc...After reading a book & turning out the light, we would spray the one he felt was necessary for that night. Then, we would take a DEEP, DEEP smell and say...."AHHHHH, all gone!"
It worked like a charm! Good luck to you, Mama! :-)

My older son didn't have the moth thing but he didn't like sleeping in his room in his crib. When he was 2 and we finally started to get him in there, the first night he cried over an hour and I kept checking in. Horrible. Will never do that again with him or son #2. The second night he cried about 20 minutes and I went in and told him that all he needed to do was call Mama and I would come running. He stopped crying and then called me after a minute and I came in. Other nights I laid on a foam matress on the floor next to his bed, with the lights off, but the light in the hall was on. I would say comforting things to him. I would sneak out after he fell asleep, or I should say, when I woke up. This went on about a week. When his brother was born and started to use the crib, he shocked me when he told me, "You used to sleep on the floor next to the crib when I was scared Mommy." This was over a year after he stopped using the crib so I guess it made an impression. My younger son is 19 months and we wanted him in his crib. I did some floor sleeping but for the most part I decided crying for 10 minutes max with me outside the room is all I could bear. He has only cried more than 10 minutes a few times, and let me tell you, he is the happiest, rested little guy.

Not sure if this will help at all, but we had a similar experience when my son was around 20 months old. A japanese beatle "buzzed" by him at the park and he suddenly started refusing to go outside to play (something he loved up until that point). We tried to give him a little sense of control and make a game out of saying, "boo bee" (in hind-sight, not recommended because of the way it sounds when he says it as one word :-)) and "shoo fly" and flap our arms real silly and wild. Kind of turned it into a game reasuring him over and over again that flys, beatles, and, yes, even butterflies would not hurt him. It took some time, but now if he sees a flying object, it's no big deal. Again, not sure how this might help at night, but at least you know you're not alone :-).

He seems too young to have nightmares. He is trying to tell you something. If he can sleep in daycare but cant sleep in his room. The issue is in his room. I dont mean to be weird but have you noticed any strange things in your house? I like to watch The haunting on the discovery channel and there was this episode of a house in Florida, and the couple had a 18 month old and she could not sleep in her room and was restless, but they placed a video camera in her room and discovered why she couldnt sleep.

I second the imaginary spray-although I actually got some fabreeze and put it in a different spray bottle and sprayed it in the room (you could use regular water)-it smells good and keeps away bugs, monsters, and boogie men.
Good Luck.

How old is he exactly? Maybe you should just take this opportunity to move him out of the crib and into the big boy bed. I am thinking of this because I picture you leaning over the crib soothing him, and wouldn't it be easier just to be soothing him into sleep in a large bed you can sit on the edge of or lie in with him (not that you really want to start that habit, but you're kinda in a rut right now anyway).

My daughter (2 1/2 now) got scared by a lizard walking to the pool. It just darted in front of us, no big deal. But for months, whenever we walked the same path she asked to be carried because of "wizards". Even at night, when I promised her the lizards do not come out at night. She still mentions it occasionally and this happened at the beginning of summer. So, my point is, he may not get over this moth thing for awhile. Their memories are longer than we think! I say move him to a toddler bed now.

Try "magic spray". Pretend you're spraying an aerosol can around the room and crib to keep him safe. Make the sound with your mouth and really get into it. Then set the imaginary can on the night stand for him to use if he feels he needs it.

Seriously, I've seen fake cans in stores but the imaginary is just as good.