1. Be patient  Many toddlers go through stages of being scared of the dark. At this age, they're still separating reality from their vivid imaginations2. Acknowledge your child's fear  Tell her you understand that the dark can be a scary place

of separation anxiety tells a very different story. Babies are genetically programmed to move into a state of both panic and pain when separated from their parents and left alone in a room, particularly if it’s dark. It’s not about control, it’s the activation

Things Are which is to my mind the best picture book ever created – effortlessly capturing childhood with all its excitement, wonder and fears, and wrapping it all up in a perfectly told tale. I can only dream that one day I’ll reach such picture book

gentle follow-up with a sophistication we’ve come to expect, and a great way to dispel fears of monsters before bedtime. 49 Meg And Mogby Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski Puffin, £4.99 (first published 1975) Simple, fun witchy tales that paired

James is our hero. He’s debonair, smart and possibly the best pilot in the whole wide world. Whenever we travel by plane, we make sure that James is our pilot. Without James and his flying finesse, we would never have been able to enjoy the delights