No matter what age your child is, children and fear go hand in hand, but you must learn what normal fears your child might have at his or her age. You also need to know how to deal with these fears. Remember it is easier said than done not to be afraid of something. Respect how they are feeling and do not belittle them for their fears. Try to get your child to talk to you about what he or she is afraid of and why. It is important to understand the fears in children and try to figure out the best approach once you understand it better from their point of view.
It is important that if your child wants to get over their fears to support them in any way you can. If they have a fear of riding a bike, but want to go places with their friends, let them know that you support them and that you will be there every step of the way while they are learning how to ride a bike. Remember to encourage them, but don’t push them to overcome their fears overnight. It will take some time. If you feel like the fear is turning more into a phobia, you should contact a child psychologist who deals with fears in children on a daily basis.
Now that you have a better understanding of how to handle your child’s fears, you must learn that at different stages in life children tend to have the same types of fears. By knowing what these fears in children are it will be easier for you to perceive when your child starts not wanting to do something or be near a particular object.
Toddlers for example tend to have separation anxiety as well as a fear of animals and insects. Some toddlers also fear, or perhaps it is more dreading than fear, of the bathtub and bedtime. Fears in children who are in preschool might include all of the fears mentioned for the toddler, but also monsters under the bed and ghosts in the closet. If there tends to be a lot of fighting amongst the parents, a child might also begin to fear their parents will get a divorce.
School aged children also fear the possibility of divorce amongst their parents. They also fear new situation such as starting at a new school or making new friends. They also fear that in these new social situations they might feel a social rejection. Those children who are older and watch television might start to feel like what is happening to someone on television could happen to them or their families. This refers to fires or home invasions. They tend to fear not only for themselves, but for their families as well. Finally, teenagers might also fear the same things a school aged child would feel, but they tend to also deal with more adult issues such as war and sexual relations.
No matter what age your child is they fear something. Fears in children is a part of life and we as the parents or adult figures in their lives need to understand what fears they have and help them in alleviating those fears. As the parent it makes us feel good to help our children overcome their fears and live a much easier life not worrying about the small things in life.