Sleep Tip: Toddler Nightmares
For almost anyone with a toddler, at least one night a week is probably disrupted. You would think that 2 years down the line you could expect your old sleep habits to re-emmerge, but the sad truth is that life will never be the same again! Toddlers disturb their parents for a myriad of reasons but one of the common ones are nightmares. This happens because toddler’s imaginations are developing so they have bad dreams. In addition, they are pushing the boundaries and testing what the limits are around bedtime. If you want a comprehensive look at this suject, read my article this month in the Your Baby mag.
Here are three tips to deal with toddler nightmares:
- Leave a nightlight or passage light on so that your toddler can get a reality check if she wakes due to bad dreams
- Have a little spray bottle of water next to her bed and when your toddler sees a boogeyman, teach her to spray it away. Its a concrete solution that toddlers appreciate.
- If your toddler wakes very distressed by a dream, allow her access to you at night, for example make a makeshift camping bed next to your bed for her to come and sleep on.