I was terrified of dark and scary characters when I was a kid. As an adult, I still won't watch scary movies but I understand that it's not real. It can be hard for kids to separate their imagination from reality. I think that the previous posters have given you some great advice about how to handle Halloween.

Thanks for your response. He has a younger sibling, which has helped a whole lot I think his fear totally went off till he heard of incidents in our town. I think he is anxious when he hears of such characters, dark and also if he is up on the field during a game. Youre right, maybe karate will help.

If this has to do with Halloween scary characters just tell him it all make believe and take him to a costume store. He can try on scary mask and costumes make it fun, take pictures of what he is wearing. He might even want you to buy him a scary mask. Keep it light.

Hi. Does your son get anxious about other things, like visiting a place he hasn't been before, or even staying with familiar people, like his grandparents, if you're not with him? Is he nervous before he takes school tests? I'm trying to figure out if he's generally got anxiety, or if it's really just a limited fear of the dark.

Has he always seemed scared at night, or did it start after a particular event? Does he have any siblings, and if so, are they older or younger? Could an older one have told him stories to cause his fear? Did he go to a sleepover at someone's house and watch a scary movie? I know even the national news and segments about child kidnapping might have been seen, so you might need to ask your son directly WHY he is so nervous, if he can even begin to tell you.

It's not a big deal to let your son sleep with his bedroom door open and a nightlight on if he's afraid of being alone in the dark, but I presume you're asking the question because Halloween is around the corner, and he may not want to participate. Obviously, he doesn't have to dress up as a villian or creepy character to go trick or treating, and he shouldn't be walking alone anyway, but if you're worried about him seeing strangers that are scary, maybe it would be best for him to stay home. I think I'd really try to emphasize the "dress up" aspects of the day, and make it clear that 99.99% of people in the world are good inside, even if they're wearing a scary costume. It's always better not to judge someone by their looks, but by their deeds, even when it's not Halloween.

Longer term, maybe you want to enroll your son in taekwondo or some other martial arts/self-defense program, which may also help build his confidence.