I tried Bill White's suggestion of addressing the ghosts-and-monsters issue by talking up St Michael. Hambet listened very attentively, and seemed to especially appreciate when I got to "St Michael and his big sword." He then eagerly interrupted to tell me that when St Michael is done with his sword, he puts it in a suitcase.
Well, he likes hearing about St Michael, but we are still having bedtime issues. Last night we settled the ghosts and monsters question and thought Hambet was asleep, when we heard that piteous noise again and were informed that there was a dinosaur in the bathroom. A lot of holding and reassuring, and almost a solid hour of hopping up and down before Hambet finally gave in and went to sleep.
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Yesterday Hambet held up his palm and told us, "I like my volcano stick!"
Hmm... I hadn't thought of dinosaurs. When I was a youngin, I was afraid of the vampire hanging on the bathrobe hook behind the bathroom door. Sigh.
D'oh! Saint George! The dragon he killed, while symbolically Satan and/or his minions, is just a gussied-up dinosaur (hm - does anyone say "gussied up" anymore?). Perhaps what you need is a thoroughly bloody slaying and beheading job by Saint George. Joan Windham's "Sixty Saints for Boys" could be just the ticket; perhaps you can find one on the cathswap list.
Awwwww! poor Hambet!!Luke gets up and stands at his door and says: "Mommy????.........Daddy???" for about an hour or so. Mostly less than 30 minutes, but we were told by our Doctor to only go in once, reassure him, and then not to go back in again. Luke of course, being younger(2)than poor Hambet probably cant give any more information on what vexes him, but it's got to be something similiar, because he gets really upset at times.