Dreams help the mind process complicated events or information. Frequent nightmares may be caused by violent TV shows or movies. Explain to your child that she was having a bad dream. Sit on the bed until your child is calm. Provide a night-light, especially if your child has fears of the dark.
Most children return to sleep fairly quickly.
Help your child talk about the bad dreams during the day. Your child may not remember what the dream was about unless you can remind him of something he said about it when he woke up. If your child was dreaming about falling or being chased, reassure him that lots of children dream about that. If your child has the same bad dream over and over again, help him imagine a good ending to the bad dream. Encourage your child to use a strong person or a magic weapon to help him overcome the bad person or event in the dream.