Or, parents can give their child a flashlight and show him how to operate it, so that he has a source of light if he wakes up in the middle of the night and is afraid. Teach positive self-talk. Positive self-talk is saying positive things about one's self to one's self. Positive self-talk is a very powerful tool for children to have. The more children repeat good things to themselves about themselves, the more likely they will be to actually believe them and incorporate the positive feelings that go along with them.
Parents can teach their children to use positive self-talk with regard to fear of the dark.
It's just dark. Mommy and Daddy are in the next room. There's nothing in here that can hurt me. Parents should praise each step their child takes towards overcoming his or her fear of the dark. Parents can also set up a reward system, with specific steps resulting in rewards.