Why does he laugh in the dark by himself?

Alright I know this is a unusual thread here. Its about my youngest son.

One thing is it takes hours for this child to go to sleep. He does get one short nap around mid day but bed time is 8:30pm and it will be midnight or later. Then he is back up early. But thats not the strangest thing. When he goes to lay down he talks to himself and laughs a lot when there is no one back there. I have no idea why he does this every night. And neither cat is back there. But he is laughing like he just saw or heard the funniest thing known to man or child. This has been going on for at least a year now. And the laughing goes on for hours and hours.

Its kinda funny in a way but also unnerving because we have no idea why he does this. Anyone have any ideas on this one?

Is he talking in his sleep? Or maybe he just has a good imagination! He could be a writer in the making there! I've always been a daydreamer (especially at night when I should be sleeping!) and I've caught myself laughing out loud at myself. I keep myself good company!

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

Is he talking in his sleep? Or maybe he just has a good imagination! He could be a writer in the making there! I've always been a daydreamer (especially at night when I should be sleeping!) and I've caught myself laughing out loud at myself. I keep myself good company!

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I used to do the same thing myself when i was a kid! And i daydream alot too and i have laughed aloud at my thoughts!!! Sometimes my daughter looks at me like i've lost my mind!! But he probably is just amusing himself with his own thoughts.

maybe he has an invisible friend? I laugh to myself quite a bit, but then I'm easily amused

No he is wide awake as soon as we turn the lights out and walk away it starts. And I don't think he is talking/laughing in his most of the time because we will walk in there to check on him and he will be wide awake.

I also should mention he will be 4 in October.

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

maybe he has an invisible friend?

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This is a possibility. Tho this friend only comes around at night when the lights are off.

Does he have a computer in his room? Perhaps he has been reading my posts on TCS.

No his is only 3 1/2.

I'd find it unnerving if I were you too, but I can only assume, like everyone else has said, that he's got a really active imagination. Can you ask him about it? Now you've got me curious.

Deacon is going to be 6 in Nov and still does this!
He laughs uncontrollably to himself.
I think sometimes he is thinking about something funny that happened earlier in the day

It used to get on my nerves but then I remember they're only little once and I laugh at him laughing

Maybe he's talking to a spirit. They say young children are great spirit communicators.

Now I'm curious, too. What does he say when you ask him to share whatever is amusing him so?

I believe that young kids can see things that we can't. I would ask him who he is talking to. Ya never know...it could be a family member visiting that passed away or something. Nothing to be scared of.

I am always laughing alone. I am always thinking and there will be something that makes me laugh, and so I start laughing. I had a roommate who got worried about hearing me laughing at night, so I explained to her. Poor girl, thought I was a little nuts.

Just ask him what is funny and if he wants to share it with you to make you laugh too. Just be open about it and he will tell you if he is comfortable enough.

My brother is six years younger than I, and when he was four or five, he started laughing at night. Mom and Papa and I would all come out bleary-eyed from our rooms and pad down the hall, and there'd be my little brother, fast asleep and laughing out loud! We figured he was dreaming something happy, so we never woke him up.

But your little boy is doing this wide awake -- or at least, he appears to be awake. I guess he could be slipping into some borderline stage of sleep instantly, as a response to the darkness, perhaps. Maybe you should see about having a sleep study done to determine where he is in the sleep/wake cycle when this happens.

It's nice that he's such a happy little guy, though, isn't it!

My mom said I did this when I was little & so have my kids & my daughter is the worse, she is 12 now & just does not want to sleep & is up at the crack of dawn.

I would not be concerned, he is not screaming, or being destructive. Likely just has a great imagination & uses his quiet time to let it all out.

I would agree with the imaginary friend theory. I had one when I was growing up (only child) and I would talk to her constantly. My parents felt better about it after I "introduced" her (her name was Jessie). It could be he only comes out at night if your son is nervous about the lights being out. Does he seem to be afraid of the dark at all? Or, was he recently moved to another bed? Just ideas....

But, I don't think you have anything to be worried about. Now, if he was screaming or crying instead of laughing that would be cause for concern. Just see if you can get him to talk about it.