The preschooler's imagination is very abundant, populated by various beings and creatures that sometimes scare the child in their dreams. The baby is experiencing so many emotions, getting to know the world, it is hardly surprising that the brain is constantly stimulated. When a child dreams, they can relive once again all the events, fuss or talk in their sleep. If we manage to combine the child's reactions during sleep with recent experiences (such as a film they watched, visiting an intriguing place, or arguing with a sibling), it is easier to calm the child. Sometimes, however, it is difficult for adults to understand the child's perception of the world - what seems normal to us, for a child can be a great and often difficult experience. This can generate a dream in which there will be nightmares. Bien Magazine explores this further.
Conversation before bedtime
It is often the case that children themselves signal a problem that bothers them, before they go to sleep. For example the child has seen aggressively arguing adults. It moved them a lot and they want to tell you about it. It is worth talking to them about this problem, letting them have their own interpretation of what they saw, then present the whole situation from an adult point of view. It may calm the child. It is important not to let your child fall asleep in a state of a powerful emotional excitement, because then it will surely have an uneasy night.
When the fun was not interrupted
Sometimes it is hard for adults to remember how imaginative we were as children. We must remember that a child is extremely sensitive - often the world of imagination interacts with their emotions and intertwines with the real world. When a child is playing a game, inventing the world of monsters, they know it's a fiction. But the accompanying fun experiences are true - fear, excitement and joy. Hence - after the playtime, it is worth helping the child return their perspective to normal, to remind them that the game is over, and now you are back to here and now. It may happen that the child will feel scared in the evening, because of the noise coming from the other room or outside, because it did not separate the real world from the fantasy. You need to, first of all, hug them and give them a sense of security. Find out what the child is afraid of and eliminate the fear - tell your child that "you are taking the monster they are afraid of out of the house", or you "put him into the rocket and send to the moon."
Isolate your child from images
At least an hour before bedtime, you need to isolate your child from any images that can strongly stimulate the imagination - from cartoons, movies, computer games and even commercials. You have to give your baby time to calm down before bed. The brain needs it. It is worth to dim the lights, lie down for a while with the toddler, read their beloved story or tell a fairy tale.
Responding to parting with parents
A small child may have trouble separating from their parents in the evening, because in their mind there is still the need to separate while they are at the kindergarten. This is another cause of nightmares. That is why you should provide your child with a steady, evening ritual. To bathe, to sleep in bed, stay with them for a while and to promise to visit during at night, and when they get up, you will be there again. You can tell them that in the morning they can wake the parents up if they like. It is important for your child to know that adults will always be within reach.
Author: Bien Magazine
Photos: DepositPhotos
