Many parents have to learn how to manage their child’s fear of the dark. Fear of darkness is natural, especially in children ages 2-3. This is when a child’s brain has developed enough that they have begun to imagine, but it’s also before they’re able to fully distinguish between their imagination and reality. Some parents look on the bright side of this fear—it means your child is creative! And though that bright imagination will serve them well later in life, right now, you’re probably just wishing they would sleep through the night.

We’ve put together a list of a few behavioral tips and a few products that might help your child overcome their fear!

Tips

• Don’t play along—Pretending to “check for monsters” or “scaring the bad guys away” to reassure your child is actually just prolonging their fear. The goal is to teach children that those “monsters” aren’t real. If they think the reason they aren’t getting gobbled up every night is because of the actions of their parent, they’ll never learn that it’s actually because there were no monsters in the first place.
• Control their stimuli—Even though it’s natural to be afraid, the wrong stimuli can turn what is a healthy sense of apprehension into absolute terror. Sometimes it’s hard for parents to gauge how scary a book, game, or movie might be for someone at such a different place developmentally than an adult—what you think is perfectly tame can be very scary for a child, so pay attention to ratings and reviews, and try to put yourself in their shoes. And steer clear of exciting or frightening entertainment immediately before bed!
• No sleepovers—Even if your child is extremely frightened, it’s important that they sleep in their own bed. Sleeping with their parents might soothe those short-term terrors, but they need to feel comfortable and confident on their own. Bolstering your child’s self-confidence during daytime activities will also help them feel more empowered and capable during the night.

Products

Objects of comfort are shown to be the best way to help calm your child’s nighttime anxiety, and our LED products provide a soft glow that will offer a sense of security.

• Light-Up Star Pillow—This star pillow has a friendly face, a soft plush exterior, and a rotating rainbow of colors that will make your child feel happy and comfortable. These LED lights are specially designed not to generate heat, and your child is safe to cuddle up to their friendly star.
• Light-Up Teddy Bear—A teddy bear has been the classic nighttime protector of children for generations. And when you add a soft LED glow, it’s even more comforting. This cute teddy can be a friend and play companion to your child during the day, and their defender at night.
• LED Strip Lights—If your child is a little too old for toys, but still grappling with their fear of the dark, you could install LED strip lights in their favorite color around the edges of their room. They can turn these lights on when they feel afraid, creating a kind of safety perimeter that also passes as a cool decoration. These no-heat lights are safe to leave on all night.

We hope you’re able to help your child overcome their fear of the dark, and we hope our LED products can help!