8 Scriptures for Kids to Overcome Bedtime Fear: A Guide for Parents

Most kids in their primary years will experience a season of fear and anxiety, usually peaking between the ages of 8-12. It will look different in each child. There is no one way to exhibit fear. It may appear as anger, tummy aches, attachment, sleepless nights, nightmares and more. Some kids can articulate their feelings and emotions. Most can’t. Some will be seasonal and some can extend through many seasons. Some fears point to a bigger issue of extending circumstances like bullying or abuse but most times it is just a part of living in a broken world.

In dark seasons of night time fear I have walked the same routine with each of my girls at different times in their lives. I would begin by reading these 8 scriptures over them aloud.

These became an anthem to our bedtime routine. I would then pray God’s protection over her. Following prayer I would give her a hug & kiss and before leaving her room I would ask “what are you going to dream of tonight?”, trying to set the stage for the narrative she would create as she went to sleep. If they were too crippled by the possibility of fear to come when they closed their eyes, I would make a suggestion then ask open-ended questions, “why don’t you dream of us going to Disneyland? What ride are we going to go on first? Who’s gonna go with us? What kind of treats will we eat?” The next morning I would always follow up, so, how was your dream? Did we go on splash mountain?”

My girls are older now and after many years of pointing them to these scriptures, in the same order, night after night they have these truths and God’s word written in their hearts. It doesn’t mean that they don’t have fear, there is no avoiding that, what it does is offer them is an antidote…Jesus, who is greater than our fears. There is no greater gift we can give our children then to point them to Jesus.