My Child Is Afraid To Sleep Away

It is very common for young children to be afraid to sleep away. This fear begins at about the age of two and can last until the child is six or eight years old – just like fear of the dark or being separated from their parents, which is also a very common fear.

This is a stage when children are very closely attached to their parents and constantly seek the security they can only get from them or from other close relatives. That’s why it’s so scary to sleep away.

Children are stuck in their habits and in their environment. They are used to sleeping in their own rooms, with the same routines every night. When you change these routines and the child has to sleep in another place that is not their own home, they can as a result protest and oppose.

When children are ready for the adventure of sleeping away, they can discover a new way of relating to other children, as they begin to share games and experiences. In addition, the experience can strengthen their self-esteem.

What can you do if your child is afraid to sleep away?

To make sleeping away a fun adventure for children, you must first get them to express their fears and ask yourself about everything they are wondering. Answer all their questions calmly and reassuringly.

Make sure your children are aware of everything they can do while on their own and try to make them look forward to it more than they are afraid to sleep away. Remember to focus on their favorite activities.

Having open communication with your child is important. Do not think that the problem will just solve itself. Take control of the situation and invite your children to help them get ready to sleep away.

Do not let your child avoid the situation. Hold on and do not let them convince you to avoid. Have patience. Do not push them, because you will only create even more resistance.

Avoid comforting your child. Telling your children that everything will be fine will cause them to lose confidence in your opinion. Do not tell them exactly what to do, either. Ask your child to make a plan to make new friends and do fun activities.

The first night away: how to guide your children

It is good to accompany your child to the friend’s house where he or she will sleep over. It will help them with the transition and not to be afraid.

Offer your child a resort so they know they are not alone. Let them know that if they are not feeling well or have any problems, they can call you with the help of the friend’s parents. Or they can use their own phone, if they have one.

There is no perfect age for a child to start sleeping away. Children decide for themselves. Your children will ask to sleep over with their friends, but it is up to you to decide first if they are sufficiently independent at home.

To help children sleep their first night away from home, and to help them feel ready, make sure they feel safe and help them face their fears so that they can overcome it. It’s the only way they will feel safe and ready to sleep away.

And if your child cries?

Even if they love the thought of it, it is sometimes not good to sleep away. It is important not to exaggerate your reaction, and to curb your concerns. If you do not do this, your child will notice that you are nervous and he or she will feel less secure.

If your children can not stop crying, it is a signal that they are not ready for this experience yet. Children take their own time to adapt to new situations. Avoid forcing them through something that will feel traumatic. Otherwise, it may lead to them not overcoming their fear of sleeping away.

This means that your children must gradually free themselves from you. Wait until your children ask to sleep away, or at least do not protest too much.

The experience will benefit them and help them develop their independence and social relationships. They learn to be more tolerant and to share, and also to become better team players. These are invaluable values ​​for their entire lives and future.