Encouraging children to overcome fear
Fears are a natural component of the childhood experience. There are monsters hiding in the closet. Dogs that get a little too near. Thunder was really loud. As parents, we constantly want to help kids feel better. But the experts agree that parents shouldn’t and can’t be present for their children all the time to help them calm down.
Confidence and independence may be fostered in children by guiding them through the process of mastering common childhood phobias on their own. So how can we help youngsters start feeling braver? To start, children have a need for practice. This implies that parents need to grow comfortable with the idea that they should allow their children experience some discomfort as they work things out.
What exactly is fear?
Being a child comes with the unavoidable reality of having fears: Taking cover beneath the sofa as the storm raged outside. The certainty that something, maybe a monster, is hiding in the closet. Continuing to engage in those never-ending evening gymnastics — Just five more minutes! Just one more glass of water, please! — so they don’t have to go to bed by themselves.
As parents, our natural impulse is to console and reassure our children whenever these concerns show their ugly heads. I assure you that there is nothing hiding beneath the bed. But in all honesty, parents shouldn’t and can’t be there for their children all the time when they need assistance calming down. Your role as a paternal should be to help your kid establish the self-assurance and liberation they will require to feel more in control and not as much of fearful, both now and as he gets older. This may be accomplished by teaching your child how to handle his worries without your assistance.
Managing emotions in fear
So how can we help youngsters start feeling braver? Self-regulation is the elusive talent that holds the secret to success. Self-regulation is simply the capacity to analyze and control one’s own feelings and actions in a manner that is beneficial to oneself and others. It is the capacity that enables us to talk ourselves down or to feel things without acting on them that enables us to have this talent.
Self-regulation is something that most adults do automatically without giving it much attention. Imagine going through a brief period of panic before convincing yourself that there is nothing really frightening about being in a room that is completely black. But developing the ability to self-regulate requires time, experience, and space for children to learn, which means that parents need to become comfortable with the idea that they should allow their children to feel some discomfort while they figure things out.
Patience
Last but not least, it is important for parents to keep in mind that change takes time and that dread is a very potent sensation. Maintain your firm stance, and be sure to commend your kid for the effort they have put forth. “I thought it was extremely courageous of you to remain in your room for half an hour,” you may say. Tomorrow, let’s see if we can go for a longer period of time!
You should let your kid know that you believe he can overcome his worries, even if he does not believe this himself just yet. “Saying encouraging words to your kid, such as “You’ve got this!” or “You’re being so courageous!” will help them feel more confident.
Conclusion
It is critical to educate young children in the skills necessary to conquer the everyday worries they must contend with, such as a fear of the unknown or apprehension about seeing a pediatrician; nevertheless, not all worries are created equal.
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