Parent to Parent: Monsters under the bed

Disney made a movie out of it, but in real life, monsters under the bed can be a real nightmare for some children.

Miriam Rodriguez, mom
"She will be OK for a second and then she will realize she is alone in the dark, she will start calling me again, 'Mommy, are you still there?' It takes a lot longer now to put her down to bed."

Doctors say to fight their fears, sit down with your child and talk to them about what they see and draw pictures of the monsters.

Dr. Valerie Goode, parenting expert
"You really want to put some life to what they are talking about, so it takes some of the fear away, and also it gives the child some control, so they are developing their own story about these monsters."

If they are still having trouble falling asleep, do not force them to fall asleep in their own room alone right away.

Instead, set a date, a goal when they will sleep by themselves.

Dr. Valerie Goode, parenting expert
"You ask them to give you a date of when they are planning to stay in their bed, so maybe you give them a week."

Just make sure to follow the same routine every night.

Do not punish your child for being afraid. Instead, encourage them to pick out a stuffed animal or a nightlight to help them through the night.

If they want you to stay in the room with them, do not lay in bed with them.

Dr. Valerie Goode, parenting expert
"It's OK to sit in his room and do a task yourself, maybe do your bills, but do not sit in his bed and do not lay next to him."

The goal is to kick out the monsters and bring back the zzzs, so your kids and you can have a good night's sleep.

Also, parents keep an eye on what your kids watch. Some movies and TV shows could be too scary for them, especially before bedtime.

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