Allaying kids' nighttime fears - Your Life - Brief Article

After a young child watches a scary movie or is frightened by a Halloween costume, parents should reach for a can of "anti-monster spray" before bedtime, recommends Theresa Kruczek, a counseling psychology professor at Ball State University, Muncie, Ind., who specializes in early childhood development. Halloween often is a scary time for those too young to understand the difference between reality and make-believe, she points out. "Preschool children and those in early elementary school often have a difficult time with Halloween. Some may say they understand when things are make-believe and when they are not, but it still may not register when the event occurs.

"After a frightening experience, children may have nightmares. They really can't tell us too much about the dream, but we can take some precautions to ward off those dreams by using a can of air freshener, otherwise known as anti-monster spray, to keep monsters at bay. Monsters don't like nice-smelling stuff."

Kruczek also advises:

* Limiting preschoolers to 30 minutes or less of Halloween activities, including trick-or-treating, and only during daylight hours

* Asking friends and strangers to take off masks to show youngsters that it really is a person under the costume

* Seeing that parents and siblings don't wear masks around youngsters afraid of such items

* In families with offspring of varying age ranges, allowing each to participate in age-appropriate activities

* Avoiding haunted houses unless the facility offers age-appropriate activities.

"Just because you love haunted houses doesn't mean your four-year-old will," Kruczek emphasizes. "Remember that parents are the best judge of their child's abilities. If [youngsters] freak out during a scary movie, they'll freak out at a haunted house or when someone in a scary outfit comes by."

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COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group