20 month old terrified of dark

[SarahFae]

What can I do to help soothe his fears?

This is not as simple as "buy a nightlight". Nightlights and even two 100-watt bulbs on our reptile cage in the same room is not enough. We'll even leave the fish tank lights on and the tv, that that's still not enough light. He has to turn on the big overhead light.

He's like seriously terrified, not just a little whimper when the light goes off, it's bloody murder screaming and falling down and thrashing. I don't know what to do because he'll even wake up from the deepest sleep when we turn the light off. At that point, he'll go back to sleep with us, but otherwise, all bets are off, and he won't even fall asleep with us if the light is off in the first place.

[leosmommy]

My baby sister was just like this and I was old enough to remember what my mom and dad did. They had to slowly, very slowly dim the lights, like over several nights so she would go to bed in different stages of lights being out. She had to get comfortable with and be reassured that her surroundings looked the same in the dark as in the light. My parents also made her room pretty minimalist during this stage, so that toys etc. didn't throw off weird shadows that freaked her out.

[Indigo]

Leave the light on? What does it hurt if he is that scared I would do that or cosleep.

[SarahFae]

I suppose we could try unscrewing a bulb every couple of nights, I think there are three or four up there. It'll be hard to minimalize the room because it's our bedroom, his bedroom, a study, and pretty much our living room all at the same time.

Thanks.

[SarahFae]

Leave the light on? What does it hurt if he is that scared I would do that or cosleep.

We have no problem cosleeping (he falls asleep on my bed, we put him in his bed and he comes over to ours when he wakes in the night), but it's the getting him to sleep in the first place that's hell.

I also can't sleep with any light on, I have to turn off all lights including the two-watt fish tank light to fall asleep.

[Indigo]

Ah, I see, I would try to slowly dimming thing. He's not okay even if you're with him?

[SarahFae]

No, he climbs off the bed runs over and flips the light on.

[leosmommy]

Could you get a lamp with a dimmer and place by the bed. The one we have is from Wal mart and cost less than $10. It goes from quite bright to very dim easily. If your DS had some control over this would that helop?

[SarahFae]

We're in a very tight space, but if I put the table where his toybox that would work . . . you know, I think we have one of those touch lights that have three brightness settings. It's glass, but I could secure it to the table . . .

We had a touch nightlight, but it was too hard for him to press it and turn it on.