Young children can have many fears and parents can find it difficult to give them the security they need. There are more common and repeated fears in children, so it is always a good idea to have strategies to help children through their fears and insecurities. Do not miss some tips for children to be able to manage their fears.
Fear of the dark
When a child is afraid of the dark, they will feel unprotected when there is no light. In order to help your child with a fear of the dark, it is necessary to know that it is a fear of the unknown. To combat it, children should be taught to turn on the lights at home and to add a small light in their bedroom. Allow the children to control the amount of light when they go to sleep and little by little it will diminish over time Help your child understand the dark, for this you can take a night out together and talk about all the interesting things that exist when it's dark.
To monsters
If your child is afraid of monsters, it is because he fears that there might be things under his bed that at some unexpected moment will harm him. To help your child fight fear, you should know that it is useless to tell him that they do not exist, because his fear is real. Young children have a very vivid imagination and think that monsters are in dark corners, shadows, clouds ... It's important to take concerns seriously and help your child avoid monster visits.
After you've searched under his bed, in the closet, and in every corner where a monster might be, you can fill a spray bottle with water and assure your child that the monsters won't be able to harm him once he has sprayed his room with water.
To the time (the weather)
Children when they are afraid of the weather (the weather), need their parents to protect them. To help your child overcome this fear of the weather, a good idea is to play outside when the weather conditions are not perfect. So your child can feel what happens when it is windy or rainy (but always protecting him with the right clothing).
At home, you can have a weather map so that your child knows what the weather is going to do during the day, and thus prepare for changes in the weather. If, for example, you live in a climate zone where there are tornadoes, hurricanes or other conditions, you can create a control plan to know what to do in each situation.
To nightmares
If a child is afraid of having nightmares, he will also be afraid to sleep alone. To help a child who is afraid of nightmares, you must be by his or her side. Bad dreams and nightmares make children unable to differentiate reality from what is not. Young children have a hard time verbalizing what is happening to them.
A nightmare can include waking up frequently, screaming or crying ... or telling incoherent things about the things they saw or they can also say that they are afraid to go back to sleep. Comfort your child after a nightmare with his blanket or a favorite stuffed animal, But if you see that they are repeated too much or that they are very intense, see your doctor because you could be experiencing night terrors.
Fear of strangers
If your child is afraid of strangers it is because they do not know who people can be or what they are like and that is why they prefer to stay close to their parents. Fear of strangers is a healthy fear, because it is protective… it is a survival instinct. Children should not approach people they do not know. The inconvenience increases when the child is afraid of friends or relatives who do not see regularly.
You need to give your children time to get to know people before they start interacting with them. Being around children while interacting with new people is a good option, in addition to modeling behavior so that they learn how to relate to others.
If you know that your child is shy, you can warn friends and relatives so they know that it may take your child some time to get close to them. You can tell them topics that may interest your child so that they can strike up a close conversation.
To separate from mom or dad
Sometimes children may be afraid of being separated from mom or dad, because they think they may never come back. So that children can overcome this fear and that it does not turn into anxiety, it is necessary that their parents learn to have a healthy goodbye whenever they are separated from their children. If you have to leave your child in the care of a relative, say goodbye briefly and tell him everything you love him.
Make sure to say goodbye. A goodbye routine can be to tell her that Mom always comes back. Once you leave, do not come back unless it is to stay because you could interfere with your child's transition.
Fear of being alone
If your child is afraid of being alone it is because he feels safe when you are with him in his bedroom and he does not like to lose sight of you. To help you you can create a game, for example do it progressively. You can sit away from your child when you are in a room and then go to another room where he can hear you even if he does not see you, this can be done until you can be in another room without feeling anxiety. Try short periods of time (30 seconds) until you see that your little one is comfortable. But remember, it is never safe to leave a child completely alone for even short periods of time. so it is safest to use a baby communicator with a screen to see that it is okay while in another room.