Here he is, a new stage in the life of the whole family - the child goes to school! But new responsibilities and skills bring with them new worries and experiences that must be taken into account.
At the age of seven, a child goes to school and this leaves a huge imprint on his self-awareness. He becomes a real “member of society”, strives to fulfill norms, obligations, a sense of duty is born in him - a social sense of responsibility is formed. Most of the fears of children between the ages of seven and eleven relate to the experience of not being someone who is respected, well spoken of, and appreciated. This also includes fears of making a mistake, answering at the blackboard, feelings of guilt for actions that are condemned by parents and society.
In addition, at this age, fears of everything otherworldly and unusual begin to take a large place: vampires, skeletons, aliens, "dark forces". The child is both frightened and bewitched at the same time, and attracts with a magnet everything that he cannot yet explain.
PRACTICAL TIPS:
1. For a child at this age, conditions of "double standards" and unclear instructions are very painful. Try to explain the rules of conduct and make demands as clear and simple as possible. This is a good time to talk "about life", about moral norms, children are absorbing a lot now like a sponge. But for now, one should not excessively philosophize and moralize. Do not frighten the child even more with long and difficult reflections, which are not always on the shoulder even for adults.
2. Give your child the opportunity to be wrong. The main thing that he must learn at this age is that everyone is wrong, everyone has the right to do so. Another thing is important - to learn how to correct your mistakes.
3. Such fears pass by themselves over time. Unskillful attempts to behave in society gradually turn into stable skills. But for this, support from adults and a gradual increase in self-confidence are very important.
4. As for the fears of the other world, the more suggestible a child is, the more susceptible he is to these fears. Perhaps for some children, a ban on watching such films, programs, reading "horror stories" will be the best prevention.
5. In other cases, you can, on the contrary, play along with the children, tell your stories, your reflections on this topic. It is important to strike a balance here: to show that all this otherworldly can be a part of our life, but it is not as frightening and unknown as it might seem. It is important to demonstrate an easy and confident attitude towards the mystical.
6. If fear becomes more obsessive, watch programs about how horror films are made - show that all these are ordinary actors and sets. Find information about the authors of "horror stories" - let the child know that all these books are written by ordinary people. Tell us about how you were afraid of “Black Sheets and Green Eyes” in your childhood, and when you grew up, you realized that none of this really exists.
