One of the most common fears among children is what can happen to them alone in the dark. Most of us parents have been awakened in our beds by our children in the middle of the night, especially after they have had a bad dream. Darkness represents the unknown, and since our children have such vivid imaginations, they can come up with the craziest things they believe lurk within it.
I always recommend talking with your children about their fears. Find out where these fears are coming from. For example, what did they watch on tv or as a video or at the movie theater that could have caused fear? Tv programs and movies nowadays are filled with violence and scary looking creatures. All of these can easily scare a child, especially one who is sensitive.
When I was about 9 years, I remember going to the movies with my sisters and some friends. We watched a Dracula movie. Needless to say, it was their idea, not mine! I could not sleep that night. There was a large window in my bedroom and I made sure to put garlic cloves all around the windowsill, as that was supposed to ward off Dracula. My thoughts about that movie tormented me for a long time and I had many sleepless nights. My sisters and friends just laughed about the movie, so I never said anything, as I certainly did not want to be laughed at.
Once you know the source of the fear, you will be able to deal with it. One of the best ways is to establish a bedtime routine for them.
Help them learn scripture verses to renew their minds. This week’s verse is a wonderful one to start with: Psalm 56:3 - “When I’m afraid, I will trust in you.” Another important verse for these types of situations is 2 Timothy 1:7 - “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and a sound mind.” A fun creative task that you can do with your children is to write out some verses, and then have your children decorate them with glow in the dark paint and hang them all about their bedrooms. When they begin to feel afraid, they will be able to see the verses and then speak them out loud to eradicate all fear.
Additionally, some parents speak blessings over their children at night, before they go to sleep. To read more about how you can bless your children too, visit this blog.
Be sure to let your children know that you will always be there, close by, and will check up on them during the night too. This will encourage them to learn to fight their fears on their own and develop confidence in doing so. But, if need be, you will be there too to help along the way.
Fear of the dark is quite common for children and it is important to help them to learn to stand against fear on their own. Scripture verses for fighting fear can be used for every issue that arouses fear in a person. The more your children have renewed their minds with Bible verses, the better they will be able to withstand the forces that come against them as they grow up.