“Why is my son afraid of the dark?”

It is natural for your son to be afraid of the dark, I think it’s most appropriate to have a night light in his room. There probably are natural separation anxiety issues going on.

Very common, most kids are afraid of the dark. It is nothing that you did, they just need the reassurance that they will be okay. So the light, or a security blanket or something can act as security. Don’t be worried, he will grow out of it, just start praying at bedtime with him for sweet dreams and safety.
Hope that helps.

9yo‘s are pretty concrete. Probably just the uncertainty of it all. You could discuss with him all the ways he is safe and what he could do if he got worried. Really not to worry, use a night light. Would be best to use a yellow bulb to avoid suppression of melatonin, the hormone that helps him fall asleep when it is dark and is suppressed by bright light. Also look on amazon a get a book “to help kids who are afraid of the dark”. Really common, not to worry.

A 9-year-old child who is afraid of the dark is a normal variation in childhood behavior. Why is fear of the dark normal? Don't forget that humans bare a species within the animal kingdom. Just like other animals, humans have instincts which act upon behavior, sometimes without our awareness. All animals are wise to be cautious in the dark when we are sleeping because "predators" can kill us more easily at this vulnerable time. Like other species, we have a set of instincts that kick into action at bedtime that automatically goes through a "Am I gonna be safe?" routine before sleep. For example, most animals lie to sleep in groups so the group can all share in the watchfulness required when sleeping at night when predators are usually active. Kids go to the parent's bedroom when scared and feel safe between parents.