Nightmares--how to handle?

[Maximum]

Just wondering how to handle nightmares without starting bad habits. My 2.5 year old has started waking crying in the night and wanting me to lie in his room. I am assuming it is nightmares. I usually then go to sleep on the futon couch in his room until morning. However, Wednesday night, he said he wanted to sleep with me so I pulled the couch down and he proceded to "play" around and we both got a horrible night's sleep. Last night he starting crying about 1/2 hour after going to bed and wanted me to lie down in his room again but dh and I were just starting to sit down to eat...so I sat in his room for a few minutes and then left.

His current schedule is as follows:

bedtime: 8:00-8:15
awake:6:15-6:45am
nap: 12:30-2:30/3pm

Nothing has changed in his routine as of late, he watches a little T.V. in the morning but nothing after that. How do you know when it is truly nightmares/sep. anxiety and when it is just a toddler looking for some attention??? Nightwaking is not uncommon for him but he normally just calls for me, I give him a quick kiss and leave and he is right back to sleep but this week, he has been waking up crying.

Any insight?
TIA

[jessica and emilys mummy]

I had this with dd when she had just turned 3.She said she was scared in her room and wanted me with her.We put  fairy lights in her room that are on a timer and go off about 2am.Also I told her that I would lay with her for 5 minutes and stuck to that.This lasted for about 4 weeks then we had star chart which she loved and very rarley wakes up now.
Hope this helps

[Maximum]

Thanks for your reply--I like that idea of staying a few minutes and then leaving. He responds well to these kinds of things. I also have been talking to him during the day about his stuffed animals that he can hug should he wake up in the night...so hopefully we will get back on track soon.

Thanks again for your reply!