(HealthDay News) -- If your child comes to your room in the middle of the night, it may be tempting to allow the child to crawl into bed with you, especially after a nightmare.

That's not recommended, says the Nemours Foundation, which offers these suggestions for getting your child to go back to his or her own bed:

  • Make sure the child understands that you are there if he or she needs you again or gets scared.
  • Explain that although the dream was frightening and that it's acceptable to be scared, everything will be OK.
  • Do whatever the child needs to feel safe. Offer a night light, or show the child that there are no monsters hiding in the closet or under the bed.
  • Soothe the child back to sleep with talk of pleasant dreams, or a comforting blanket or stuffed animal.