How To Help The Child After A Nightmare
The fact that a child has a nightmare is something totally normal . That is, if our little one suffers a bad dream on a specific night, we should not worry. It has happened to all of us and it will happen to us. But if the situation drags on and repeats itself repeatedly over time, then it is necessary to take action.
Nevertheless, our son may have a nightmare on a specific night . It will be at that moment that we will feel the desire and the irrepressible need to help you. And we must not stop it. We have to be there with him to prevent him from suffering.
How to act after a little boy’s nightmare
The first thing we have to do when we notice that our little one has a nightmare is to remain calm. . The child will suddenly wake up quite upset and scared. However, you just have to be by their side. When he notices your presence, he will relax.
Once the little one is awake and lucid, you can talk about the nightmare he has suffered. Do not worry, it is best that you comment and talk about it. You must use common sense, treat the issue naturally and explain that it is something normal that can happen to anyone.
It is important for the child to lose the fear of nightmares . You will never see them as a good thing, of course, but they are there, they can happen and they are part of ourselves. But you don’t have to magnify them either, they are simply bad dreams that, once they are over, don’t go any further.
If after a nightmare your child wants to go to bed to sleep, let him, no problem. Feeling your body and your company will relax him a lot. In fact, it will be difficult for you to fall asleep, as you are fully awake. Nevertheless, Feeling that you are by his side will help him to close his eyes again, reduce anxiety and have a good rest.
Don’t confuse nightmares with night terrors
Yes, we must be clear about the difference between the nightmares of children and night terrors . Although both are typical in preschool, they are not exactly the same.
Nightmares are very disturbed dreams that cause the little one to wake up suddenly . Our child will be fully conscious and, once pass , it will be quite difficult for you to reconcile rest.
Night terrors, however, do not make the child fully awake. . If your little one is suffering, you will see that he can get up very upset, nervous and even kicking the air. You are not fully awake.
If you notice that your little one gets up but does not finish being conscious, it is that he has suffered a night terror . In this case, you better calm him down and put him back to bed. You’ll notice that it doesn’t take too long for him to get back to sleep.
Why do nightmares happen?
As we well say, nightmares are not alien to our little ones and can be caused by different reasons. In some children they can be caused by a bad day . A fight at school or with a family member, a row from the teacher, a bad meal, the experience of sudden or harmful changes in the child’s life, an abrupt or prolonged break in their routines, etc.
Also the jealousy can cause nightmares . The arrival of a new sibling can cause the problem. Or maybe if you feel left out by another child, or even a pet.
How to help children after a nightmare
As we can see, there are many reasons why the little one can suffer nightmares. However, we can and must help you. For this, giving them peace of mind, security and a routine life is a good option.
We must spend quality time with them . We have to talk a lot. Let him do fun activities, draw and play. And also prevent you from watching scary movies or scary scenes. We can establish strategies at night, such as leaving a dim light on, telling a sweet story while falling asleep, etc.
We see that avoiding a nightmare in our little one is possible . However, if the problem persists, you will need professional help. Contact a child psychologist, he will know how to advise you.
