The most common solution for a childhood fear of the dark is the nightlight. But sometimes the dark isn't the only fear a child has, although it will look like a fear of the dark. Young children, who go to sleep before the rest of the household, can sometimes feel isolated and alone in their rooms, which will manifest as fear. A parent can leave the door to their child's room open so that they can hear the rest of the household as they drift off to sleep. Leaving the door open also allows light from the rest of the house to filter into your child's room, lessening the dark atmosphere and allowing your child to feel that you're close by.

Do you read to your child at night? Even if they are able to read to themselves, it will lessen the stress of bedtime to read to have story time every night. If you have a reading child, ask them to participate by reading some of the story with you. Read them stories of brave heroes, and tell them to think of their bedtime story if they get scared, and be like the hero of the story.

Some parents don't want to provide a nightlight for avid reading children for fear that they will use the light to read by rather than sleep. However, as much sleep will probably be lost through reading as it would be through fright. Reading is a relaxing activity which will help your child to fall asleep on their own as well as motivate them to conquer their fears without your help.

One of the reasons that the fear of the dark manifests is that, as a child learns more about their world they have more fuel to feed their growing imaginations. Because they can not see in the dark, children deduce that there could be anything there, which could also mean anything scary. Your authority as a parent lends you credibility. Although you cannot dispel their fear, you can provide them with a talisman that will do the same thing. Some watered down body spray in an unmarked or special bottle can be "monster spray." A beautiful nightlight can be a special "anti-monster light." Even a dream catcher can help alleviate your child's nighttime anxiety. If you have a dog, let it sleep in your child's room for "protection." Even a fish tank can help provide comfort to a frightened child.

With the talismans there is a thin line. If you provide monster spray to your scared child, this might indicate to them that you believe in monsters too. On the one hand, this can provide your child with a feeling of solidarity. On the other hand, this can show your child that you're frightened too. A frightened parent is a frightened child, and while you want to be sensitive to your child's needs, you also want to let them know that you are more powerful than their fears and that you can protect them.

The thing to remember when you struggle with your child's fear of the dark is that it's the most normal childhood fear in the western world. Your child is learning and growing in a normal way. Don't let bedtime struggles cause ill effects in the rest of your life with your child. If you only remember one thing from this lens, remember how precious your child is to you, and to be supportive to them as they learn to cope with their fears. Happy parents are happy children!