Welcome to episode three of my special four-part Heidi at Home series, in partnership with CBeebies BeddyByes.

Monsters under the bed. Suddenly being scared of the dark. Not wanting you to leave. Waking in the night after a bad dream.

As children’s imaginations develop, bedtime can sometimes become the moment when all sorts of worries and fears suddenly appear.

And when your child is genuinely frightened, telling them “there’s nothing to be scared of” doesn’t always help.

In this episode, I’m talking about night-time fears, anxiety, nightmares and night terrors, what’s going on for children when night suddenly feels scary, and how we can help them feel safe without accidentally making the fear bigger.

We cover:

• Why fears can suddenly appear as children get older and their imagination develops
• How to validate the feeling of fear without confirming that there really is something dangerous
• Why worries and experiences from the daytime often show up at bedtime
• The difference between nightmares and night terrors
• What to do if your child experiences a night terror
• Why trying to wake or reason with a child during a night terror often isn’t helpful
• Practical ways to support a child who is becoming anxious about bedtime
• Why talking about worries during the daytime can be easier than tackling everything at bedtime
• How predictable routines, transitional objects and connection can help children feel safer
• Why things like checking repeatedly for monsters can sometimes reinforce the idea that there really might be something there

One of the biggest things I want parents to take from this episode is that the goal isn’t for our children to never feel frightened.

Fear is a normal human emotion. What we can help them learn is:

“I can feel scared and still be safe.”

We also talk about why calming and mindfulness skills are much easier for children to access if they’ve experienced them before they're in the middle of a frightened or dysregulated moment.

That’s where CBeebies BeddyByes fits so naturally into this conversation. Its slower, mindful approach gives children opportunities to experience things like slowing down, noticing their bodies and moving towards calm in an everyday, low-pressure way.

Because 2am, when your child is convinced there is something underneath their bed, probably isn't the ideal moment to introduce deep breathing for the very first time!

If night-time has suddenly become a source of worry in your house, or you're not quite sure whether what you're seeing is a nightmare or a night terror, this episode is for you.

Find CBeebies BeddyByes

You can watch CBeebies BeddyByes on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

Follow @beddybyesofficial on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

And you can find more episodes of Heidi at Home on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This series shares general parenting guidance drawn from child development research and my 17 years working with families. It isn't a substitute for individual medical, psychological or educational advice. If you're worried about your child's sleep, anxiety or development, please speak to your GP, health visitor or another qualified professional.