Nightmares are really scary. Before going to sleep every night, we only pray and wish that we don’t have a nightmare. While as adults we may realise what a nightmare is, it is difficult to explain the same to children. According to WebMD, “A nightmare is a bad dream that usually involves some imagined danger or threat to the person having it. The child may dream about danger or a scary situation. 

Nightmares may involve disturbing themes, images, or figures such as monsters, ghosts, animals, or bad people. Loss of control and fear of injury are common themes.”

As stated by the article, many children dream about something disturbing, with most of them remembering the details when they wake up. This can also affect their mental health, leaving behind scars. So what can we, as parents, do to help our child deal with a nightmare? An article published in parents.com suggests that parents be understanding of their child’s situation, as for her, a nightmare is very real. The article further explains, “If your child has a bad dream, it's natural to tell her, ’It's not real—go back to bed,’; says psychiatrist Robin Berman, M.D., a Parents advisor and author of Permission to Parent. ’But to her, it seems very real.’ Soothe your child and validate how she feels. You might say, ’I can imagine that would be really scary, but there's no bad guy in your room."

To know more about nightmares and how they can affect your child, please read through the pages of the ClipBook below.