How to Console a Kid Who Has Nightmares - Comfort your child when they have nightmares. Coddle them and reassure them everything is okay. Do not stay with the child until they fall back asleep, because you risk screwing up their sleep patterns. -Avoid inappropriate movies, shows, games and the news, as they can all trigger nightmares for a child. -Keep a consistent sleep schedule of good sleep for the kid as sleep disturbances make a kid prone to nightmares.