Strategies for battling bedtime monsters

"Hello Lisa,
Maggie cannot get enough of your divine spray. She just finished banishing monsters from her closet and I'm enjoying the calming scent as I try to wind down a crazy work day. ahhhh..."
Andie

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First let me say, I am not a psychologist or a doctor although I do play both roles as a mother of three. There are many opinions on the subject of night frights and how to deal with monsters. The concept of the water bottle filled with "monster spray" has been around almost since time began. In fact, my grandma was the one who told me about it when my son Torrey was having monster issues. After doing exhaustive research and conducting mini experiments on my kids and others kids, I discovered the soothing success of aromatherapy and integrated it into the folk remedy.

If your child is experiencing anxiety and is chronically sleepless, seek professional help. Visit Kim West, LCSW-C, at The Sleep Lady for helpful information.

Here are some strategies...

According to experts, one out of every four children between the ages of 3 and 7 experience nightmares. This equals to many sleepless nights for children and their parents. Telling a child "there is no such thing as a monster" sends a message that their fear is not valid and therefore even more scary because the child feels alone.

Remember how scary the darkness really is!

Reassure your child

Holding them and saying nothing but, "I am here" works. Sometimes parents have a tendency to talk too much, trying to rationalize. It is much better to be quiet and focus on hugging your child, enveloping them with feelings of safety.

Evaluate their fear

Is there a particular object in the room scaring them?Remove it.

Create a coping mechanism

Teach your kids to relax. Explain that when they feel scared its good to breathe long, slow breaths. This is helpful for life and teaches self-control. Try speaking to your children during the day about how to relax when they are upset. Don't mention their fear per se, instead treat the subject casually, plant the seed. If your child brings up the monster fear, then address it. Ask them to describe what it looks like, maybe drawing a picture. Many people believe this reinforces/validates their fear. The reality is...the fear is already there, it is real to your child and you cannot help unless you ascertain its origin and attributes.

If your child is younger the breathing techniques will be difficult to explain so distraction is in order. Talk about anything they are interested in...just enough to get them calmed down.

Start bedtime rituals

It is no secret that instituting guidelines and schedules for your children to follow at bedtime is good parenting. Children crave routine and it reinforces their feelings of security and comfort. Design the ritual with your child. Give a few choices that you know will be relaxing. (always multiple choice with kids, otherwise you are setting yourself up for a long night)

Singing a calming song, going outside to look at the stars, giving the dog a dream biscuit, enjoying a short massage or putting all their "babies" to bed are a few suggestions.

Empower your child.

Fear arises partly from a feeling of lack of control so do what you can to empower your child with the tools to deal with their issues. Monster Go Away! spray evolved from this premise. Of course, you can always stick with plain water... but the scent is an overt sign that something is combating the monster. Afterall, monsters hate stuff that smells good!

Monster Go Away! Spray Works!

Our spray has helped many families banish their respective monsters and facilitated the creation of fun evening rituals. From improvisational song and dance to the construction of monster binoculars with recycled toilet paper rolls, we have heard and almost done it all! We would love to hear your stories of triumph and creative techniques you may have employed or heard about.

Send in your success stories dealing with night frights and we'll post them here.


		Original Monster Go Away! Spray 5 oz

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