Experts have found that about 90% of children aged 3 to 8 have a fear of the dark. The child begins to be afraid of the mysterious outlines of objects, and even the shadows seem to him ominous. This applies to all objects that the baby cannot fully capture with his gaze. For example, a place under the bed, above the closet, etc. The guys have many reasons for night fears. Parents need to know about them to help their child.
Where do children get fear of the dark
Mom and Dad should be aware that their children's fear of the dark is temporary. However, regular exposure to high stress can have a detrimental effect on the mental health of babies. Fear can turn into a phobia. To help the child, you need to create comfortable conditions. First, it is necessary to always maintain a trusting relationship with the child, to treat his feelings with understanding. That is, to love a son or daughter with unconditional love. Secondly, you need to try to set an example for your child in overcoming their fears. Thirdly, it is recommended to use flexible methods in education, not to use excessive guardianship and control.
How to wean your child from fear of the dark
If a child is afraid of the dark, parents should never call him a coward. This can lead to the development of an inferiority complex in him. To begin with, you need to create a cozy atmosphere in the baby's room, turning the nursery into a "fairyland". It is best to hang a dim night light in the room. Before going to bed, it is necessary, with the light on, to give the baby the opportunity to look around, remember where things are. And then turn off the light and leave the night light on all night.
In no case should you frighten a kid with "Babayki" even during the day. Before going to bed, the child may begin to listen to various rustles and sounds. Therefore, adults do not need to make noise in the evening, but it is better to read a fearless fairy tale to a child, sing a calm lullaby, or just quietly turn on a calm instrumental melody, and give the baby a massage. It is advisable to hug the baby more often. A glass of warm milk with honey has a calming effect at night.
We need to talk to children about fears. Tell them about your childhood fears and how your parents dealt with them. Having found out what or who exactly the preschooler is afraid of, you can try to debunk his horrors. For example, to assure a child that there is a brownie "Kuzya" in the kitchen, who drives out all the "evil spirits" from the house. Or say that all "Barabashki" are afraid of soft toys. Therefore, if you sleep with some teddy bear, then nothing can happen.
You can not watch horror films and action films with a child. Cartoons and reading fairy tales, where the hero defeats a monster, can have a useful influence. Or where the scarecrow turns into a funny harmless creature. You can invite the child to play a ghost so that the baby himself was in his role. In this case, his fears can be dispelled.
If the baby suffers from constant nightmares, then you need to ask him to draw his fear. And then offer to put the monster in a cage. Or tear the drawing into small pieces and say that from that moment on, the child is no longer in danger. If the fears recur, the drawing sessions can be continued until the baby can even remember his fear.
And if the baby suffers from obsessive fears for a long time, and the nightmares do not go away, you can turn to a psychologist or psychiatrist to get qualified specialist help.
