Though you cannot entirely stop your child from having nightmares, there are some immediate responses and preventative measures you can take to help your child get a good night’s rest.
“Mommy! I had a bad dream.”
Your heart aches for your child as they recover from another nightmare. You crawl out of your bed and walk to your child’s room. You wish you could take away their nightmares, but unfortunately we can’t control our children’s imaginations. These bad dreams often leave us wondering how to help kids with nightmares.
Though you cannot entirely stop your toddler or young child from having nightmares, there are some immediate responses and preventative measures you can take to help your child get a good night’s rest.
There are two aspects to your child having nightmares: the before and the after. While your child’s nightmares might seem overwhelming, you can learn how to calm your child after a nightmare and how to create an environment where your child’s nightmares would become less frequent.
Here are some simple ways to help your child after they have a nightmare.
Your toddler or child has experienced a nightmare. Whether your child’s nightmares are full of fantastical monsters or more realistic fears of the world, listening to your child is key.
After discussing the nightmare, take time to reassure your child. When doing this, try to avoid the tendency to say it’s “only a dream.” Although pure in thought, it can seem like you are brushing off their nightmare. There are a couple different ways in which you can reassure your child of their safety.
“Lord, please be with __________ as they go back to bed. Father, I pray they would feel your presence and that they’d be comforted by your arms. Give them a spirit of peace and power as they fall back asleep. Ease their minds and help them to know they are safe. Please help them to get rest and to dream good things. We praise you Father for being our protector.
In Jesus Name,
Amen”
Encouraging your toddler or child the moment after a nightmare is important, but so is their ability to cope with nightmares on their own. Here are a couple of ways to help your child cope with future nightmares.
Give your child fun solutions to overcome their fears. If they have nightmares about monsters, an example of this is giving them a spray bottle with water and telling them it is “Monster Repellant.” Let them keep the Monster Repellant in their room so they can use it to ward off “monsters.”
Though nightmares can come without warning, help your child learn to change the narrative of any scary dream. Tell them they can change the path of the dream by thinking good things before bed. If a bad dream still comes, this strategy will give them the tools to calm themselves down and repaint the dream in their mind.
The most important thing you can do to help your child cope is prayer. Teaching your child how to pray shows them how to turn to the Father in the midst of fear. Beyond praying about your toddler or child’s nightmares, there is a larger opportunity to show your child how to talk to God regularly.
Whether your child is a toddler or a teen, having some strategies to face bad dreams can be beneficial for any family. Be aware of healthy bedtime routines. Set a bedtime routine that allows for your kids to create good sleep habits. A lack of restful sleep can play into the frequency of nightmares.
Consider appropriate boundaries for technology during the day, but especially at night. Sadly certain images from movies, games, and even the news can become the source of bad dreams. Examine what your child is watching in order to prevent nightmares.
Finally, share bible verses about nightmares with your child. Encourage your child with the Word of God before they go to sleep.
Georgia Dunham is a Content Producer for Focus on the Family. She is Sooner born and Sooner bred, but now resides in Colorado Springs. She loves saving stray dogs, walking in nature, and pretending to understand football. She is a former middle English substitute and enjoys listening to different types of jazz.
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