It’s 9:00 p.m and for the past hour, six-year-old Michael and his Mother have been in a battle of wits.
Mom has been urging Michael to turn off the light and go to sleep, but Michael refuses because he’s sure that some unknown scary creature will enter her bedroom after dark. Michael’s Mom tries to reassure her son that he is perfectly safe but the scared child just shakes his head. They’ve been through this for the past three nights.
Does this sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. This type of nighttime fear is common in children between the ages of 3 and 8 when they have an especially creative imagination!
Instead of telling your child that there’s nothing to be afraid of, acknowledge what they are feeling and suggest that the two of you create a spray that will help the child feel safe. Many people make a “Monster Spray” to keep the scary things out of their bedroom, giving the child an empowerment tool to help them feel more in control.
Personally, I prefer creating a product with a more positive message like a “protection spray” and calling it something like “Michael’s Aromatic Armor” or “Julie is Safe in her Room” or “Emma’s Sacred Space.”
Recipe for a Kid-Friendly “Protection Spray” (previously called Monster Spray)
- 1 oz (30 ml) of Lavender Hydrosol ( Why Lavender? For the relaxing properties and to help the child fall asleep)
- and/or Sweetgrass Hydrosol (Why Sweetgrass? For protection; see the directions below)
- and/or Frankincense Hydrosol (Why Frankincense? Frankincense has a history of being a sacred resin and you could explore that with the child).
- 1 oz PET plastic spray bottle (Why 1 oz plastic? It’s light and manageable for little hands)
How to Use the Protection Spray
Use one of the hydrosols to reinforce that the child is protected. If you use the Sweetgrass hydrosol, this would be a great time to explain how the Native American’s considered Sweetgrass a sacred plant and have used it for centuries for protection and to bring in positive energy. Read more about Sweetgrass in this blog post. Read more about smudging in this article. Before the child goes to sleep, make a ritual of spraying their bedroom with the magical spray, and especially over the bed. If you want to add a prayer or affirmation, this would be a good time to incorporate that. Finally, put the spray bottle next to their bed so they can use it if they wake up in the night.
If you have a nighttime “Monster Spray” or “Protection Mist” or some other empowerment tool you use with your child, please share it in the comment section below!
Listen: AWP 050: Helping Children Overcome Nighttime Fears with Aromatherapy
Further Reading: What is a Hydrosol
Great idea! Even better – help the child create their own monster spray! Chose a few safe and relaxing essential oils for them to smell and decide which one will be most effective against the monsters – even more powerful!
Amy, I love the idea of giving the child their own tool to help them rise above fears. I wish I’d had a monster spray when I was 6! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Love that you note it is important to honor the fear…and LOVE your idea of a monster spray!! Very creative!
So clever! I might add that an appropriately decorated bottle might help the whole Monster Spray thing…and it could be fun to make, too. Let the kids participate in it.
Clever!
Oh goodness..Monster Spray. Love the idea! Right up my alley in terms of humor and perspective 🙂 You just gave me an idea to use when I have kids in the future. Thank you!
“Every night, when I’m asleep, into my room the monsters creep,
I call to Mom, ‘Please come and stay, and don’t forget the Monster Spray!’
She comes right in, she sprays right here, Psh, Psh,
And all my monsters disappear!”
(I’m a kindergarten teacher)
Gloria, that is a wonderful poem to accompany this spray! You are so so clever. Thank you so much for sharing – this made my day.
If you don’t want to make it yourself, check out monster-defense.com. We have a wonderful-smelling spray available now & a fun, illustrated children’s story coming out in Dec 2013-Jan 2014 that tells the story of a little boy with a monster in his room, and how he overcame his fear of monsters. In researching online prior to writing the book, we read many articles from child & adolescent psychologists and parents about recommended methods for dealing with fear of monsters, and interpreted this into a fun, rhyming story which gives parents direction on how to help & gives kids the tools necessary to overcome their fear.
I checked out your website and the sprays look great. What a wonderful idea!