If you have always wanted to become a firefighter, but it did not turn out the way you wanted, do not be too disappointed. Once you have children you will become something similar: a professional fear-fighter. You will find yourself searching your closet for the Boogeyman, checking under the bed for monsters (usually with a big stick in your hand as per your child’s request) and convincing him/ her to go to sleep because the nightmares will not come back and you have taken all the necessary measures to get a ghost out of your house. When your child grows up, there will be a fear of essay writing. Luckily, you will do not have to do it yourself if you check this.
Fear is a normal part of our lives. It usually begins to sink in when we try something new, different or unknown. In your child’ s life, this happens on daily basis, so if you do not want fear to take over and prevent your child from reaching his/ her full potential, you need to take certain measures early on.
Talk AboutFear
The worst thing you can do here is to be judgmental, minimize your child’ s fear or dismiss it andmock him/ her. Instead, you should give your child a chance to talk about fear and be supportive. To be able to help your child, you need to recognize the source of fear and explain why is it unfounded. Reassure him / her by talking about your own fears and how they turned out to be nothing to worry about. Come up with some fun role play ideas. Pretend that you are a Boogeyman and use a funny voice or engage in funny behaviors ( dancing, tripping over ). Tell him/ her that these monsters or ghosts are very lonely and are just looking for a playmate. Prepare a “ magic potion“ that drives the monsters away.
Overcome Fear With Small Steps
Sometimes, the best way to overcome fear is to face it right away, but in some cases it is better to do it slowly, with small steps. If you see that your child’ s fear is strong, show him/ her how to overcome it step by step. Move to the next level only after you start noticing improvements. Make a strategic plan together with your child and avoid surprises or he/ she will lose trust.
Remind Your Child That he/she is not Alone
One of the most important things you can do for your child is to keep him/ her reminded that he/ she is not alone in his/ her fears. If your child feels safe, knowing that you will always be around to provide help if needed, it will be easier for him/ her to build confidence and gradually get rid of fears.
Do not Infect Your Child With Your Own Fears
Do not project your fears onto your child. It is not advisable to hide all your fears from your child, but you should talk to him/ her and show that you are a human being too and that there are times when you are afraid of something. By doing that you will give your child an example of how to overcome fears and problems.
Remind Your Child of Past Successes in Conquering Fear
The best way to boost your child’ s confidence is to remind him/ her of past occasions on which he/ she was afraid to try something and ended up enjoying it.
Do not Compare Your Child With Other Kids
Comparing your child with other kids and telling him/ her to be as brave as them can be counterproductive and make your child feel even worse. Instead, focus only on your child and his/ her own fears. Forget about other children, including siblings. If your child feels a pressure to keep up with his/ her siblings academically, but does not seem to have enough confidence, you can get him/ her some initial help to build confidence by enlisting the services of this essay writing company: MyEssayWriting.co.uk
Monitor What Your Child is Watching on TV or Online
Limit the time your child spends watching TV or being online. Eliminate scary and violent TV shows and encourage him/ her to watch comedies. Replace bedtime TV shows with bedtime reading. Bibliotherapy, or using books to help children identify their fears and overcome them by identifying with book characters, has been shown to be useful.
Having fears is a normal experience associated with growing up. In fact, sometimes they can keep your child out of the harm’ s way by teaching him/ her to be careful. However, it is a parent’ s duty to make sure that these fears do not become paralyzing. Instead of choosing the easy way out and using their mobile phone as a babysitter, parents should spend more time with their children and help them overcome their fears together.
