Afraid of the dark?

iluvmylab · July 2012

Can babies this age be afraid of the dark? I wasn't sure if this is a learned behavior (like when kids start believing in monsters and such) or if it can start this young. Anyone know anything about it?

Moozilla11 · July 2012

I think they can. If Drake wakes up and its pitch black he has a major fit. If we have a little light on he is ok...

InTheSun · July 2012

Funny, DH and I were just having this discussion. I said it happens when they start learning about monsters, but Moozilla has a good point.

KYmama9286 · July 2012

I'm convinced they can be- both kids have needed a small night light in their rooms and it definitely helps. Considering babies can get scared if they wake up in a different surrounding, I would imagine waking up in pitch black would be scary too.

kwinkle1980 · July 2012

I don't think it is a learned behavior. It seems like anything that universal would be innate, and I can see how it would be a survival mechanism. Most predators are out at night.

A goes to bed at 7, and then usually cries for me at 10, when it is dark. I am sure he wakes up to find his room darker than it was when he fell asleep, and it scares him.

laken256 · July 2012

I've heard some ppl say that its too early for them to know fear, but I don't think that's true. Lo is scared of things now that didn't bother him before. For instance, a month ago, he would just look at the dog if she barked. Now if she barks, he cries and crawls to me ASAP. He doesn't like the dark and will just scream if he's in a completely dark room. Also, If we go outside when its dark, he hangs on tighter than he used to. They can also start having night terrors at this age (ds1 did it while dh was gone for 2 months, and pedi said the change of circumstances could lead to fear of not having the stable predictability of life) so obviously they know fear, or the night terrors wouldn't happen. Whether its from an overload of things, not being able to see what's near them in the dark, or other things that don't seem friendly to them, I think their fears are very real, even if they can't rationalize why they are scared yet.

sunflwra · July 2012

I definitely think they can have the fear this young. In the beginning, we would put on the Homedics projector on and leave it on all night since we didn't have a night light. The first time we set the timer and she woke up without it on, she woke up screaming. She's since gotten ok with it but I totally get it and can see it being a more natural fear and not something that's learned.

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