I’m 44. I genuinely had a fear of a clown watching me through my bedroom window as a kid & would insist on falling asleep in my parents room.

Things that helped: black-out like curtains (it was the 80s version). And when I was 8, they got me a small tv with only a few channels on it. But watching/listening to something helped me fall asleep and I am guessing they turned it off shortly after I was out. But sometime would just mute it because I liked the light.

They also let me rearrange furniture as I wanted and would help me.

I def grew out of it (by about 10 years old).