If your child is afraid of flying, he is probably one of those show great worry and anxiety even days before taking the flight. The fact of talking about flying already makes them nervous and restless by parents Because the time comes and they are not able to get on, it encourages much more.
Most children they react to the fear of flying in a similar way. To help them and not suffer, you have to work on two aspects, the emotional part, which is fear, and the rational part, where you have to explain how an airplane works.
Why does the fear of flying arise?
Many of these types of fears are transmitted directly and unconsciously by the people around him. Although in many cases this type of situation is something that scares or creates fear in a general way, in these situations we are not aware of hiding it and we transmit it to you without wanting to.
The other way to be afraid of flying is the ability to imagine what it means to ride an airplane and see that you separate from the mainland, with the possibility of falling and as a consequence of seeing the subject of death. They already begin to understand the concept of death from the age of 6 and there they associate the fear of going on a trip with the fear of a catastrophic accident.
Tips to help your child
- Anticipate the travel situation in advance. You have to make an approach from where you are going to catch the plane to what your destination is going to be. You have to devise and get excited about the place you are going to visit so that you begin to imagine and fantasize about the details.
- Creative visualization of the plane. You can take a moment of reflection so that together we can imagine what the interior of an airplane is like, that it is a safe place, that you won't notice anything different than anywhere you might be at that moment. But it is an area where you have to stay still because you cannot jump or run. Of course, you have to give him the illusion that you can draw, read, play with little toys or video games or watch movies.
- Keep you entertained and calm on the plane. There are many alternatives to keep the child entertained during the trip: we can take small toys, entertainment games, painting books, small packages of markers and paints, books to read, small technology so that they can play with an application or watch a movie or favorite series, or bring sweets ... everything will depend on what each child can best accept regarding his personality.
- Make him feel safe on the trip. Try that I can sit between two adults and not next to the airplane window, so you can't see how high you are flying and get more nervous. For the most daring children, standing next to the window is a great experience.
- If during the trip you think that he is going to burst into tears. You have to have some kind of argument prepared to calm this situation. Above all you have to transmit tranquility and do not panic because the child cries. Do not let any comments or complaints from other passengers affect you. Improvise with any of the things you have prepared so that you forget the moment. You do not have to suppress him with what he is feeling but rather to accompany the child in his moment of anguish and reassure him.
- If your child gets dizzy, There are always good alternatives for this type of situation, such as anti-seasickness bracelets or medications to alleviate this discomfort.
- Consult a psychologist if the situation overflows. If you think that there are no possibilities to solve this concern, you can always consult a specialist.