What to Do When Your Child Has a Nightmare

Plus, How Monsters Under the Bed Became a Common Childhood Fear [Fatherly_Seahorse]( There’s a good reason why some relationship experts refer to resentment as “the silent killer of relationships.” It tiptoes into your mind and, if not dealt with, grows into a rot that can destroy partnerships. When you feel yourself starting to resent your partner, the feeling needs to be acknowledged and interrogated. But before you can do that, you must recognize the signs of resentment and the little ways it infects your relationship. RELATIONSHIPS [21article1]( [What Resentment Looks Like in a Relationship: 8 Signs to Recognize]( Resentment is sneaky. [But the sooner you realize you might be feeling it, the sooner you can take action.]( [READ THE STORY]( TIPS AND TRICKS Feeling Resentful of Your Partner? Vent Into a Friend’s Voicemail “A strategy I recommend to clients expressing resentment toward their partners is to call a good friend and vent into their voicemail. Establish some guidelines with a dear friend that you are going to use their voicemail to process through your big feelings. And invite them to do the same when they have big feelings. The key is that the two of you need to make an agreement that each of you will only listen and not give advice or try to fix the friend’s emotional dump. It feels so soothing and brings a tremendous amount of clarity when you share your stories with a friend who’s always on both your and your partner’s side. And then after you have emptied out your uncomfortable feelings, investigated what was going on for you, then you can discuss the triggers that came up with your partner from a more calm and aware state.” — Andrea Dindinger, San Francisco-based licensed marriage and family therapist Resentment can quickly sour a relationship. [Here are some more things to do if you find yourself resenting your spouse.]( FURTHER READING - [How to Let Go of Resentment Once and For All]( - ​​​​​[How to Prevent Resentment From Creeping into Your Marriage]( - [11 Bad Habits That Breed Resentment in Marriage]( WE WROTE A BOOK! [5article2]( [Be The First to Read ‘Fatherhood’]( Where’s the road map for new parents? Glad you asked! Fatherhood, by the editors of Fatherly, is a comprehensive parenting guide that walks dads through everything they need to know over the course of the first year of a baby’s life and beyond. It’s full of practical tips (everything you need), as well as work-life balance guidance (this is crucial), relationship advice (doubly crucial!), and as well as tons of expert-driven analysis that will help guide parents through a truly disorienting time. Pre-order it now and get the first copies on November 9. [BUY NOW]( PARENTING [21article3]( [How Monsters Under the Bed Became a Common Childhood Fear]( It’s an oddly universal fear—[and it likely has its roots deep in human evolution.]( [READ THE STORY]( TIPS AND TRICKS So, Your Child Had a Nightmare. Here’s What to Do When nightmares happen, you should escort kids back to their rooms (if they’ve fled). Once they’re returned to the scene of the thought-crime, let them know you have their back. Ask a lot of questions such as “What did you see? Was it scary?” — and let them explain without fear of judgment, or dismissal. Just don’t let the talk linger. “Conversations about the nightmare should end once the child has been reassured, and shouldn’t continue until the following day when coping strategies can be discussed preferably during the daytime and not just before bedtime,” says Christopher Drapeau, a sleep disorder clinician at Mississippi State University. “This may heighten anxiety about going to bed.” You may be inclined to comfort your nightmare-haver. But you should fight the urge. Otherwise, Drapeau says a child may become reliant on having you around to fall back asleep. And you know what a twin bed does to your back. [Here’s some more advice on helping kids through bad dreams.]( PLAY [21article4]( [Jason Momoa’s Kids Saw His Beardless Face Because of ‘Dune’]( Momoa spoke to Fatherly about [shaving his famous beard, fatherhood, and finally getting to do “fun stuff.”]( [READ THE STORY]( TALK TO US Have a question? Comment? Want to tell us a no-good terrible story? Or a helpful parenting tip? We want to hear from you (and yes, we may publish your response in an article or forthcoming newsletter). Send your thoughts to [hello@fatherly.com](mailto:hello@fatherly.com?subject=Fatherly%20Newsletter%20Feedback). [FATHERLY_LOGO]( [FB]( [IG]( [Twitter]( [View this email in your browser]( Some Spider Studios 20 W 22nd St Floor 3 New York, NY 10010-5858 You can [manage your preferences or unsubscribe]( here. Copyright © 2021 Some Spider, All rights reserved. [Link](