Nightwaking with a pre-schooler, who is genuinely "frightened"

Any tips? I didn't mind her coming into bed with us, but I can foresee that will turn into a bad habit. I usually lay back down with her and then tiptoe out (I have a newborn in with us that I do not feel comfortable leaving at night yet)

We have done CIO when she was going into a toddler bed, it worked, but I don't think I could possibly do it when she is so verbal, and legitimately afraid (of shadows, witches... her imagination is developing :( )

She usually goes to bed with little problem, for the most part.

Re: Nightwaking with a pre-schooler, who is genuinely "frightened"

Nightlight, a method to combat the scary stuff.

I tell DS that I BITE and EAT monsters so they are too scared to come into our house. I acted it out with some stuffed animals. It worked.

telling him they don't exist did not work (I tried it too).

Nightwaking with a pre-schooler, who is genuinely

Monster spray (spray bottle with water and glitter in it) and a magic wand of her choice. Spray keeps the monsters out and a wave of the wand keeps all bad witches away.
Try sitting with her when you turn the lights out and have just the night light on and talk about the shadows in her room. DS had one of those huge stuffed bears that made a big bear shadow. Once we discovered that his friend made the shadow things were good.

Nightwaking with a pre-schooler, who is genuinely

My DS is 2 and was light this a few weeks ago. We got him a nightlight and it didn't help. We started just leaving the light on. he's fine now and will sleep fine with it on.

I figure a few extra $$ for electricity is worth it.

Nightwaking with a pre-schooler, who is genuinely

We have everything that glows. A nightlight, the star turtle, glow pillow, flashlight friend, flashlight, glow worm. Any combination she wants that night. That seems to have helped.

Nightwaking with a pre-schooler, who is genuinely

she wasn't afraid of the dark until her friends told her about fear. But we've had a star turtle since 2. Her monitor has ALWAYS had a nightlight on it. Flashlight around 3. We have added night lights galore since then including the most recent flameless flickering lights that were in our Halloween décor.

She has told me she was afraid of monsters and witches and stuff.. which annoyed me to no end. Witches are NOT bad. Look at all the good witches. Glenda ..etc. Plus my grandmother was called a white witch. It upset me she accepted a stereotype. Then the monsters thing I said no to as well. You like Henry the huggle monster.. you watched yo gabba gabba and NOW you're afraid of monsters? showed her our favorite veggie tale song and reassured her that monsters weren't real.

Next time she came up with it I addressed her concerns as if they were real but with logic. Show me where (she had nothing) she was making it up to get me to go in. First it was witches, monsters then it was spiders and snakes, etc. Finally I said I will NOT sleep with you if you are going to lie to me. Just ask me to sleep with you if that's what you want. So she did and I did. Since then the lies have stopped.

She is afraid of the dark though and her room is VERY dark. So we gave her 3 flash lights. I don't ignore her fears, I just tried to figure out where they came from. I know when she's really afraid and when she's just whining and when she's actually frightened we both attack it together until whatever it is gone and dead and isn't allowed back. But I let her have the 'final blow' if you will.

Still feel bad I took her on the Stitch ride at Disney (it was scary and dark) but the end was that Princess Cinderella kicks him out. Since Cinderella is her hero anyway that made life easier. Now (go figure) she adores watching Lilo and Stitch!