Parents often face childhood fears. Do not underestimate their impact, as some of them can leave a mark for a lifetime. The task of the parents is to provide emotional support to the child and try to allay his anxiety.
Varieties of childhood fears
The most common childhood fears are fear of the dark, real or fictional monsters, certain animals, fear of death, physical pain, or parental punishment. There are many reasons for these problems. The most common factor is the specific stressful situation he has experienced (lost, got into a fight, bitten by a dog).
Often the parents themselves are the culprits of childhood fears. Intimidation by police officers, non-existent monsters (babayka) and inevitable punishment is postponed in the child's memory and leads to anxiety and obsessive fears. Other common causes of childhood fear are peer conflicts, problems and domestic violence.
Rich imaginations and children's fantasies can also form a child's fear. Monsters in the closet and under the bed, villains from cartoons and computer games are examples of such fears.
How to overcome childhood fears
Don't shame or make fun of your child. Calm conversation and discussion of the situation is the right method in dealing with childhood fears. Find out what exactly the baby is afraid of, let him tell you in detail about his worries. Listen to him, share your experience in overcoming fears, tell your baby a way out of the situation.
Engage in all-round development of your child. Children are afraid of the unknown and incomprehensible, therefore, the more knowledgeable the child is, the less cause for alarm he will have.
There are good exercises for overcoming fears through drawing. Have your child draw your fear, or draw it together. Then burn or tear the drawing into small pieces and throw it into the garbage chute, thereby symbolizing the destruction of anxiety. If the kid is afraid of a fairytale monster, let him draw himself next to him in the form of a superhero defeating the villain.
A supportive family environment plays an important role in combating childhood fears. It is necessary to exclude from the child's life any violence, scandals and disagreements in relations between parents, intolerance to the shortcomings and weaknesses of the baby. Fill your kid's life with joyful and interesting moments (excursions, walks, visiting the circus), organize a family holiday. Communicate with your child more often, give him a feeling of love, care, calmness and reliability.
If the child has a fear of specific events or people, explain that this is unlikely in life. Just in case, come up with a plan of action together to make your baby feel safe again.
Give your child the confidence that most fears can be dealt with easily. In difficult cases, seek help from a psychologist.
