bad dreams

hi there after some help

my nearly 7 yr old son, who has always been really good at going to bed (ie never complains or stalls etc) has suddenly started saying he is having bad dreams at night so he doesn't want to go to bed, he never tells me in the morning just at night time before bed. i have tried everything telling him to dream of his favourite thing in the world to do etc etc, but he just says he can't.

any suggestions this is getting to be a bit hard as he is not getting to sleep until after 9pm which is okay on weekends but definately not during the school days.

thanks

What about nightmare spray or a nightmare amulet? Something that he can believe will 'protect' him from them?

Poor little guy - its a hard age.

yes nat i was thinking of that, we used to use a "magic spray" for my first dd, i may just give it a whirl

my thing is tho i am thinking it is just an excuse, when i try to talk to him about it, and ask him what the dreams are about - he says dunno and looks down at the floor and avoids eye contact with me, sometimes i even see a little smirk. so i am thinking it may be just a ploy (it happened tonight again, he wanted to watch the rest of the cricket and then he started crying saying he was hot, then went on about the bad dreams - took his temp he was fine) i don't want to NOT believe him, but am thinking he may just be saying things like this to try and pull at my emotional strings and let him stay up for a bit longer. i told him tonight he can have his radio on all night (softly) it is quite windy out there, so i am guessing his little mind will be ticking.

oh the joys, they certainly keep us mums on our toes don't they, always trying to think one step ahead lol

Perhaps he is just trying to get some attention. Try putting him to bed that bit earlier to conteract the going to sleep late. Also, perhaps get him to read or read to him the story of the little boy who cried wolf. Sounds like if he is just making things up, then he needs to distinguish that if he does this too much then you won't believe him when the time comes.

Good luck

Hi Mooshie,
I suffered really bad nightmares when I was little... I did for years... they still get me every now and again now.
Mine would come hard and fast when I was anxious about something.. it could have been a little thing or a huge thing.
Maybe just try and pry out of him what is going on at school... is everthing ok at home... I grew up in a pretty unstable home life so that was the core cause of my bad dreams.. Since i have been happily married and had DS they are now just a nightly show of bits and pieces.

Also when you put him to bed... give him a BIG hug and a kiss on the forehead.... it will help earth him out, think lots of love and thoughts of you protecting him while you hug him :) very powerful the old hug.... specially one from your mum!!
Whe I would wake up from my nightmares in the middle of the night my mum would just hug me to her heart and I would fall back to sleep in no time :) When she couldnt do that for reasons best forgot... they would keep going through the night....

Sorry bit of a ramble there!! But try the hug to the heart before bed :)

Good luck
xoxoxoxooxoxox

May be some music to help him go to sleep. My DD use to do that. Leave the hall light on so he can see or read him a story to take his mind of things when he is in bed.