Children’s anxiety never appears without a reason. Fear is a signal that should not be underestimated or passed by, hoping that everything will stabilize on its own.
The fact that children are afraid of something is natural. We all once feared a wolf, a sorcerer, or a shadow in the corner of a room. For some parents, fear is a great manipulator, however, this is not the best way to educate, because. it leads to sleep and behavior problems. What to do if the child is afraid for no apparent reason? Try to find this reason. Consider the most common factors.
Fear of the Dark
At the heart of this anxiety is a previously experienced traumatic experience, for example, someone closed the baby in a dark room. In addition, children have a well-developed imagination, so watching a cartoon or movie that talks about monsters at night is undesirable up to 12 years old. How to deal with the fear of the dark? Leave the child’s room dimly lit for the duration of the night’s sleep and give up the idea of shaming or making fun of the child, in this way you will lose his trust.
Causes of children’s fears – lack of security
A child feels safe when his parents take care of him. When an adult behaves differently, does not pay attention, refuses to communicate or help, there is tension associated with insecurity. The kid does not understand what is happening and the imagination draws various types of fears, for example, the fear of loneliness and darkness. How to fix it? The child must receive information that he is dear and loved. If you are tired, combine relaxation with reading children’s literature or coloring fun coloring books together.
Fear of losing a parent
Even the most caring adults sometimes leave the child at home alone and rarely think about what thoughts the child is occupying at this time. The reason for the fear of losing parents lies in this. Before you leave, tell your child that you will be arriving soon, and if you specify an arrival time, keep the promise. Another reason for fear is the lack of confidence that others understand and appreciate, especially when criticized too often. The child clings to his mother with all his might, hoping to hear kind words from the dearest person.
Fear of the unknown
Why does one child go to school with joy, while another clings to his mother’s skirt? A child who always gets the help he needs develops not only a sense of security, but also self-confidence. When he goes to kindergarten or school, he is happy. But if the parent does not live up to the expectations of the baby too often, he does not run away from mom and dad, but on the contrary, requires increased attention to himself. Another reason for fear is excessive spoilage and lack of basic skills, which makes life among peers unfriendly and threatening. If you are faced with such situations, the first thing to do is to pay attention to the requests of the student and help them learn the rules of behavior in society and acquire the missing skills of independence. For example, create a list of tasks according to your strengths.
Fear of losing love
Refusal to eat, frequent colds or stomach pains – these may be unconscious attempts to get your attention. Even anger acts as a reward when a child sees that no one is interested in him. As soon as he refuses to eat, the whole family immediately comes. Break a mug – gets a share of attention. The reason for this behavior is the fear of losing the care of adults. Children cannot live without parental love and achieve it by all means.
If you cannot help the baby on your own, contact a child psychologist. It is also required when other problems arise against the background of fears, such as sleep disturbance and bad dreams, loss of appetite, change in behavior for the worse.