The peculiarity of the child's psyche is that it can hardly resist various fears. And those experiences that for an adult are painless can cause severe trauma to the child's consciousness. This is why it is so important to diagnose and treat childhood fears early on.
Instructions
Step 1
Children's fears are not always noticeable. In the initial stages, they are usually difficult to detect. To recognize a phobia that starts in a baby, observe him. If he became more withdrawn, began to flinch from harsh sounds, often wakes up at night, then perhaps he is tormented by fear. Also pay attention to the child's drawings. Dark colors, sharp lines, strange creatures are another alarming indicator.
Step 2
Try talking to your child. Your conversation should be light, casual. You can start by discussing a recently read book, a movie you saw, etc. Gradually, using leading questions, find out what the child is afraid of.
Step 3
After you find an object or phenomenon that causes fear, start working with the child's imagination. Ask him to draw what the baby is afraid of. Next, advise him to portray himself. At the same time, the child in his drawing should look confident, strong and courageous. Place this image in a prominent place so that the baby can quickly overcome his fear.
Step 4
If the child is afraid of some fairytale monster, then present him with an item that will give him confidence in the fight against this creature. For example, a toy sword, an amulet (if the fear is associated with something mystical). And be sure to express your willingness to help your baby in the fight against his fears. Tell us what you were afraid of as a child and how you dealt with that fear. You must become a reliable support and ally for him.
Step 5
Monitor the entire process. Ask how the child slept, if he had nightmares. If the answers are vague and evasive, then the situation is getting worse. Suggest different solutions. For example, sleep with the lights on or come to your room at night. Sometimes children are just embarrassed to ask for it and suffer from fear alone.
Step 6
Constantly cheer your child up, emphasize his strengths, in no case put pressure on him. Many adults often “stimulate” children with the phrases: “Well, pull yourself together! Are you a brave guy or some kind of mumbler? Such a tactic leads to the fact that the baby, behind external confidence and fearlessness, begins to hide his fears, which in the future may develop into severe phobias.
