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It’s normal for children to experience fear, but as parents it can be difficult to know how to help them. If your child is scared, it’s important to remember these four things not to do.
Read on to learn more about why it’s not helpful to reason with your child using ready-made sentences, force them to face their fear, multiply the warnings against dangers they can’t imagine, or tell them not to cry.
We’ll also discuss why fear is a normal state for children.
Dismiss their feelings
When a child is scared, the worst thing you can do is dismiss their feelings. It’s better to listen to what they are saying and try to understand why they are feeling scared.
Acknowledge that their fears are real and validate them, even if you don’t think the situation is as bad as they are making it out to be.
Showing your child that you understand and care about how they feel will help them feel more secure and confident.
Forcing your child to face their fear
Making your child face their fear head-on is not the best way to help them get over it. Even if your child is scared, forcing them to confront it may only make them more anxious and frustrated.
Instead, try to encourage your child to take small steps toward overcoming their fear.
Talk with them about ways they could practice facing their fear in a safe environment, such as reading stories about characters who have successfully overcome similar fears.
Helping them understand that their fear is normal and can be managed will be much more effective than trying to make them confront it head-on.
What to do: Encourage your child to express their feelings
It is understandable that you may want to comfort your child by telling them not to cry, but this can be counterproductive. Instead, provide a safe space for them to express their feelings.
Let your child know that it is okay to be scared and that it is also ok to cry. Reassuring them that even when they are scared you are there to support and protect them can go a long way.
Fear is a normal state in children
It is completely normal for children to feel scared, especially when they are faced with something new or unfamiliar. Fear can be triggered by many different things, such as the dark, loud noises, being alone, or even a new situation.
Children often use their imaginations to create stories and scenarios that can lead to feeling scared. As adults, it is important to remember that fear is a normal part of being a child and try not to dismiss their feelings.
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