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Persistent nightmares could mean that your child is feeling stressed or worried about something – like starting preschool or being potty-trained. Help your child to deal with whatever is bothering him and you’ll both sleep tight.

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  Step 1: Go to your child

  Go to your child as soon as you hear him calling. Hold him close. Tell him, over and over if necessary and in a reassuring tone of voice, “Mommy’s here,” or “Mommy and Daddy are here.”

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  Step 2: Tread lightly

  Don’t push him to tell you about the nightmare; he may get upset all over again. But if he wants to talk about it, listen sympathetically.

• Tip

  Bad dreams are especially scary for kids under five, who can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not.

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  Step 3: Sweep the room

  If he’s worried about something in his room – a monster in the closet, a dragon under his bed – get rid of the beast by sweeping under the bed and then spritzing the room with a water bottle marked “Anti-Monster Spray.”

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  Step 4: Give him something to cuddle with

  Give him something to cuddle with.

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  Step 5: Wait until he’s asleep

  Turn on a nightlight or give your child a flashlight to keep by his side. Once your child is calm, stay with him until he goes back to sleep, or is close to drifting off.

• Tip

  Don’t offer to sleep alongside him, and don’t invite him into your bed. You’ll just start a bad habit that will become a nightmare for you.

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  Step 6: Avoid scary images before bedtime

  To keep the nightmares at bay in the future, don’t expose your child to scary images—before bedtime. Establish a calming and regular bedtime routine.

• Fact

  Nightmares usually occur during the last third of sleep – known as REM sleep – which is when you're most likely to dream.