Do you get surprised when your child esp during the toddler age at some stage asks to sleep in your bed because of the monster, ghost and vampire? Fear is a perfectly normal part of childhood. even me during my childhood days. For young children, fantasy and reality are not distinct. Unlike adults, children cannot reason with their fear. The task of controlling the fear falls to the parents and guardians. The matter is complicated because what a child finds frightening can be very subjective. Some fears stem from common concerns like thunder, lightning or death; others arise through personal circumstances, trauma and experiences. No single method of control will work on every child for every fear. The problem has solutions, but they can't be addressed without understanding what fear is, and why it occurs.
The important thing is to help the child control the fear, rather than let the fear continue to control the child. The trick is making the fear seem insignificant without disregarding it, approaching it seriously without blowing it out of all proportion.
Don't belittle his fears. Say you understand and that you will help. Say that you will be there for him.Explain that adults get scared too, that fear is normal. Show how you face up to your fears and deal with them.
Change the focus. Distract him, and remove him from the frightening situation. Embrace him tight and make him feel secure.
Remember that at the end of the day, she's just a child. Kissing her forehead to dispel bad thoughts is a tried and tested method, as old and effective as blowing on a minor cut or graze.
