All About Fears And Anxieties In Children

All children have fears and anxieties; it is found that fear to some extent is healthy, though when it goes out of proportion there is need for concern. 

Some pointers to fears and anxiety in children:

• Even babies and toddlers have fears; they experience anxiety in the presence of strangers and feel secure and safe being with parents. Toddlers experience separation anxiety, being away from parents, fear of darkness, monsters and doctors.

• The fear of darkness extends in children also after they start to go to school, with fear of animals and school being additional fears. Kids of 3 to 6 years also experience other fears like fear of imaginary figures like monsters and ghosts, fear of sleeping alone, fear of darkness and a fear of thunder and lightning.

• It is again significant to find that from the age of seven to twelve children have other fears like fear of being alone at home, fear of snakes and spiders and how they will perform in school. These children are also nervous of how others view them and how they would deal with peer pressure.

•  It is wrong to categorize all fears and anxiety as bad or undesirable; some amount of fear in certain directions helps improve performance. If your school going child is weak in numbers, then a little fear of the Math test could initiate him/her to work hard and improve one’s performance. 

• The best thing that parents can do to their children to overcome fear is to listen to them and reassure them. We need to instill confidence in our children; it is wrong to ridicule their fear, or take it lightly or to show anger. Some protection is necessary, but it is wrong to be over-protective.

• It is best to understand that certain fears and anxieties run in families; parents should not discuss their worries in front of children, as it could cause more anxiety in children. It is best to discuss things that cause worry with children only when it is absolutely necessary; they should also reassure them that they would sort out the issue. 

•  A child may sometimes realize that his/her fears are unfounded; it would greatly help if you do not offer overprotection but instead encourage him/her to face the fear reassuring one of your constant support. If your child fears the dark, stand in the hallway a little away from the dark room and tell him/her you will be there till he returns. Appreciate his/her courage; repeating it a number of times will help encourage your child to get over the fear.

Lastly consult a professional if the fear is of a high level and is interfering with the normal activities of the child.