Written by Neela K. Sethi, M.D.

Maybe it really is the monster living under the bed or the bogeyman lurking just behind the closet door, but nighttime can be scary. With all that creeping and crawling going on, how do you make sure your little one gets a good night’s rest?

Avoiding nighttime fears completely may be impossible, but here are some tips to put your child more at ease.
- stick to a good bedtime routine to help kids wind down physically and emotionally
- monitor their daytime TV watching, video games, etc to make sure they are age-appropriate. Excessive violence or scary situations can increase your child’s anxiety when they’re alone and in the dark.
- leave a nightlight on or the bedroom door cracked open.