Parent and child do the check together: under the bed, inside the wardrobe, into every corner. Each space is confirmed clear out loud. The check ends with something official — 'Room checked. All clear.' — and the wardrobe door stays closed. Showing there is nothing there works better than saying so, and the shared thoroughness of the inspection replaces the reassurance loop.

How to do it

1"Let's do the check." Take it seriously — no smiling at it. Mean it.
2Go in the same order every time: under the bed, inside the wardrobe, behind the curtain. Say 'clear' out loud after each one.
3End with a summary: 'Room checked. All clear. You're good.' Close the wardrobe door.
4Same route, same words, every night. The ritual is the reassurance — not the words alone.

Variations

If they refuse to do the check or say it won't help: do it alone out loud while they watch from bed — narrate each spot as you check it. Seeing it done is often enough even without participating.
"Room checked. All clear. You're good" plus closing the wardrobe door is the full ending — don't reopen it to double check, that undoes the ritual's authority.

💡 Parent tip

Don't say 'there are no monsters' — this argues with what feels real to them. Instead be the expert who checks and finds nothing. The expertise is more comforting than the denial.

What your child develops

Concrete evidence over abstract reassurance — 'there's nothing there' is less effective than showing there's nothing there
Ritual as regulation — a consistent check sequence becomes a reliable signal that the room is safe
Agency — checking together rather than being told gives the child participation in their own reassurance