Overcoming Fears Successfully – Some Tips For Parents
Teaching children to overcome their fears is not an easy task. This is a natural phase children go through, but a complicated one.
In addition to the tips found in this article, you will need a lot of patience.
As a parent, teaching children how to overcome their fears can be frustrating . Fears can be irrational.
Often times, nothing you say seems to be helping your child overcome their fear. Maybe you don’t know what to try next.
Children sometimes develop a fear of certain situations or objects that do not appear threatening to our adult eyes at all. This can be seen across all cultures.
Childhood anxieties are a universal part of growing up.
Teaching children to overcome their fears usually becomes necessary around the age of one year. When your child is four to six years old, anxiety tendencies can increase.
Most fears are just another stage in a child’s development. In some exceptional cases, however, psychological help is required.
The sources of this fear can change as your child gets older. For example, fear of the dark or monsters under the bed can turn into fear of strangers or violence.
Childhood Fears: Factors to Consider
It is important to keep certain factors in mind when teaching children to overcome their fears.
- Pressing children or forcing them to face what they are afraid of can only make matters worse.
- You can help your child by taking their fears seriously and encouraging them to talk about how they are feeling.
- Never attack your child because they are scared or force them into situations that scare them.
- To help your child overcome their fear, you need to acknowledge their feelings.
- If you encourage your child to talk about the things that make them anxious, they will have the opportunity to face their fears at their own pace and with all your support.
What scares children?
Some children are more fearful than others. Here are some of the factors that contribute to childhood anxiety:
- Genetic Susceptibility : Some children are naturally more sensitive and have more emotional temperaments.
- Parents’ fear: Children learn their behavior by watching their parents.
- Overprotective parenting: Children who are highly dependent on their parents can feel incapable, leading to generalized anxiety.
- Stressful Circumstances: Certain situations, such as separation from parents, an injury, or hospitalization, can have a significant impact on children.
5 activities to take away children’s fears
Here are 5 activities to help your child overcome their fears. Try to put these tips into practice:
1. Read books about fear and how to overcome it
Telling stories, acting out situations, or reading a book about a terrifying situation can help the child overcome their fear.
This strategy is sometimes referred to as bibliotherapy or expressive storytelling. It is useful because children can often identify with a character who is facing the same problem.
2. Arts and Crafts
Creative activity can enable children to address their unconscious fears. When a child is unable to talk about their fears, a blank page is a good tool for engaging with what’s on their mind.
As soon as the child has drawn a picture of the thing that scares them, we can work together to find a solution.
3. Create a ranking
Have your child make a list of the things they fear. Then help him sort this list from the smallest to the scariest thing.
You could also use a picture of a thermometer to help your child rate any fear from “hot” to “cold”.
Younger children may need help with this, but they can usually tell you which situations they find more frightening than others.
Once your child has assessed each situation, use the moment to talk about the fears on the list.
4. Play hide and seek
This popular childhood game offers more than just entertainment for kids. It teaches us how to deal with loneliness and separation.
The game of hide and seek helps your child face their fear of being alone.
5. Admit when you’re scared
Tell your child about the things that scare you and let them know what you are doing to overcome your fears. Learning from your example will help your child through this difficult phase.
Your child is imitating you and the feelings you experience and express. By sharing your own experiences, you will teach your child how to classify feelings.
There are many ways to teach children how to overcome their fears. Which one you choose depends on your child.
The most important tip, however, is that you are there for your child and support them.
Your little one needs you by their side to overcome their fears, which are a typical part of childhood.
