2.5yo started having nightmares. I'd like to share a really positive solution that seems to be working for us.

2.5yo has started having nightmares. Usually it's about a bear. I think it came from a book (in which there isn't actually a bear--ironic) but if it wasn't a bear it'd be something else, right? A couple of weeks ago, he had a night that was especially bad; he woke up screaming at the top of his lungs that there was a bear in his bed. None of us got much sleep that night.The next night, he really did not want to go to bed. Even asked to sleep in our bed (no). So we struggled with ways to convince him it'd be all right. Obviously telling him the bear doesn't exist wasn't going to get us anywhere. He seemed nonplussed at the idea that his stuffed friends would protect him. So finally, while we were brushing teeth, I had an idea.Me: "Hey bud, why don't you try to make friends with the bear? Do you want the bear to be your friend?"2.5yo: ... "Yeah."Me: "Okay, that sounds good! If the bear comes, be really nice to him, and I bet he'll think you're pretty cool and he'll want to be your friend."2.5yo: "And then I can ride him?"Bingo! No nightmares that night.He hasn't woken up from a nightmare ever since. I'm not sure how much my little solution is making a difference or if it was just a short phase. Doesn't matter; we're sleeping better so who cares?Occasionally, like last night, he has moments of concern. Last night he said he really didn't want to see the bear. So I told him it was okay to tell the bear that he didn't want to play tonight, like in that Daniel Tiger episode where Prince Wednesday doesn't want to play that day (convenient). That seemed to satisfy him.So here's the best part. I'm a fairly humble person but I'm giving myself a huge pat on the back for this one. Not only did it work, which is perhaps the most important part, but it was a really positive solution that can have real-world implications. Obviously it's not going to work to make friends with every bully, but if one's general attitude is positive and open, it's easier to make friends.Anyway, I wanted to share in case anyone else could use our solution to their advantage. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2qsxd8m