You may want to demonstrate how to pet the dog, but don't force your child to pet the dog, too. If he or she refuses, you can try again later. Although your toddler loves to pound on a toy drum, the loud noise from a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer may be very frightening. Even preschoolers can develop fear of loud noises. Try letting your child look at and eventually touch things in your home before you turn them on.
Children can sleep with lights on without damaging their health.
Many children sleep with a night light well into the school-age years. Fear of the dark is usually one of the last childhood fears to be conquered. Younger children fear monsters and snakes that lurk in the bedroom shadows. Older children may fear burglars and thieves. A gradual reduction of light works for many families, while some children decide on their own to turn lights off.