We all have apprehension about something, and on more than one occasion fear warns us of dangers and makes us make the right decisions.
Fear in a child exists in the same way, only it is comparable to things that are at his height and are according to his age, such as fear of being alone, fear of monsters, fear of getting lost, fear of the dark … The more a child grows and the more aware he is of how big the world is and how small he is in relationship, the more fears he will feel.
We must bear in mind that this is something natural and inherent to the human being, because when we become adults we continue to feel fear for certain things and depending on each person. In this sense, it will be very important to listen, understand and calm the child as much as possible, with the maximum aim that these fears do not end up taking root and leading to some social or psychological problem that would already require the help of a professional.
Things you can do when afraid of children
- Respect your children’s feelings and never laugh at their fears . Children can really believe, for example, that goblins and monsters exist, and this does not make them ridiculous or meaningless, but only shows them as defenseless and innocent people still.
- If the fear comes from the animals and the child does not want to touch a dog, to give a common example, do not force him and downplay the matter.
- NEVER forget that childhood fears are real , so listen and let the child who suffers know that you understand and that nothing bad will happen.
- Do not resort to legends where the lord of the sack takes disobedient children or anything like that, since children can believe these stories squarely and have a very bad time.
- It facilitates new situations, for example, clowns are scary to many children , so if you know that you are going to a party where one acts, show your children a photo or draw it before they see it.
- Comfort the little ones when they face scary situations and tell them that we are all afraid of something at some point in our lives.
- ALWAYS be patient with their fears and, when in doubt, remember that an adult with a fear of flying or insects does not usually get better no matter how much pressure they are.
There are also occasions when, after experiencing a traumatic situation or for some reason unknown to the parents, children’s fears intensify to such an extent that the help of a professional is needed. This should be considered if the child spends many nights without sleeping or sleeping very badly, if he is depressed or very crying, or if his stomach always hurts and he stops eating.
Nighttime childhood fears
Rare is the child who has never had a real fear of being left alone in his room, and the darkness can sometimes be very unpleasant , also for adults. If this is the case for your little ones, remember that you can also help them:
- Talk about what scares them, because things that a child does not understand are very scary . Tell them what the sounds of the night correspond to.
- Leave the hall or bathroom light on and the doors open.
- Tell them where you are going to be and what you are going to be doing.
- Let them search their room, look under the bed and inside the closet if necessary.
- Give them something they like to accompany them to sleep, such as a teddy bear or a special blanket , and assure them that it will help them have nice dreams.
- If their fears are something that can be represented, for example a monster, ask them to draw it and throw the drawing together in the trash or on a fire (always with caution) to clean the room in a kind of purifying ritual.
