Halloween and Children's Nightmares

Do children have more nightmares after Halloween?

Halloween can mean costumes, candy, parties and scary movies, but it also can be a tricky time to be a parent. Nightmares sparked by scary movies and costumes can leave your child with dreams that are less than sweet.

Some kids will be more affected than others, so how is a parent to know what will cause their kid to have bad dreams at night and what won't? The line isn't an easy one to draw.

According to child psychiatrist Dr. Benjamin Chan in an interview with The Scope from the University of Utah's Health Sciences Radio, each child is affected differently by scary movies and other Halloween-time events. While some kids are prone to nightmares, others rarely experience them and love a good scare.

Chan noted that all children are afraid of the unknown, be it afraid of going to a new store, a disruption in the routine, etc. Seeing scary movies or things that are meant to frighten could multiply a child's fright significantly, resulting in the mental imagery definitely causing nightmares.

Other things like fearing the loss of a loved one, abrupt changes, trying new things, or even loud noises can bring on bad dreams and mild paranoia in children.

Kids Health notes that even though by about pre-school age, most kids are able to understand that nightmares can't really hurt them, but even if they can understand what is real and what's not, that doesn't keep them from being scared.  

Avoiding scary movies, scary talks, or other Halloween-centric themes immediately before bed can lessen the likelihood of your child experiencing a nightmare. Similarly, sticking to your usual bedtime schedule and ensuring that their room is a scare-free, welcoming, and relaxing environment all year round will help them wind down and sleep soundly when the time comes.

In the end, parents know their children better than anyone and although movies have age-ratings for a reason, most parents are able to decide what will and will not cause their kid to have a nightmare, even during the scariest season of the year.

Easing your child’s fears and nightmares requires parents to acknowledge and recognise how your child feels and comfort them accordingly. Parents should encourage their kids to talk about their nightmares, rather than hold them inside, regardless of whether it happens during Halloween or not.

If parents are concerned about their child experiencing nightmares this Halloween, stick to fun-themed Halloween decorations, movies, events, and costumes and wait until they're older (if at all) to introduce the scarier aspects of the holiday.

Suggestions for Parents When Children Have Nightmares

When your child has a nightmare, what’s the best way to help?

1.   Evaluate any events that your child recently experienced that could trigger a nightmare. Once you know which specific events or kinds of movies can cause your child to have nightmares, you can explain to your child what actually happened and the next time that your child wants to see a scary movie or other “nightmare trigger,” you can remind your child of this.

2.   Remember that nearly every child experiences nightmares. Children have active imaginations, that should be fostered, but that sometimes make it difficult for a child to distinguish between what is real and what is not. Praise your child for having a great imagination, and help the child to focus on the positive aspect of imagination, so that s/he doesn’t feel it’s wrong to have a nightmare or feel scared

3.   Listen to your child and give assurance that all is okay. While you can tell your child that boogey men aren’t real or that there is no monster under the bed, it’s even more important that you be there for your child and give him or her a big hug and reassure them. Also, try redirecting their attention to a funny moment earlier in the day that was less scary – the distraction will help them to relax and fall asleep more easily. Sometimes a glass of water or a warm glass of milk can help your child to shake off a bad dream.

4.   Help your child to overcome a fear of the dark. For many kids, nightmares emerge from nothing more than a fear of the dark. For Nyctophobia, the official term for fear of the night or of darkness, the National Sleep Foundation recommends making darkness fun through games.  

5.   Make scary movies less scary. Showing behind-the-scenes footage of how movie monsters are made helps to remind children that they’re only movies and that the monsters are not real. Seeing examples of frightening figures  and how they are made can help dispel for your child’s fears.

6.   Teach your child to self-soothe. Some children can be comforted simply by learning what to do if a nightmare should occur. Reaching for a favorite stuffed animal, keeping a flashlight nearby, or repeating a calming phrase when your child is scared, can give him or her the confidence to overcome nightmares should the need arise.

 Sources: Romper, The Gerber Life Parenting Blog