Conquering Fears

In the eyes of a toddler, fear can be very overwhelming. When it comes to helping your child get over his or her apprehension of the dark, the doctor, or the washing machine, you must be patient and try to understand the feelings of your child. By taking action against fear, you can teach your children to face the scary things of the world and overcome the obstacles that they can cause.

Revealing the Things That Go Bump in the Night

Oftentimes kids are afraid of things that they don't understand. By showing them that there is nothing to be afraid of, instead of simply telling them that they are safe, you can help your child overcome many fears.

• Get creative. Now, dispelling the fears of a toddler can be difficult, but with a few creative solutions you can save the day. As every parent with multiple kids knows, just because a solution worked on one child doesn't mean it will work with another. Pay attention to the things that comfort your toddler and incorporate them into his or her room as protection from whatever it is that is scary.
• Be available. Children are more scared when they are insecure, and nothing makes a toddler insecure faster than not having access to a parent. If you know your child is scared of the dark, for example, do not make them face that fear alone. By standing with your children through their fears you can show them that there really is nothing to be afraid of.
• Be open-minded. Parents don't have all the answers, so it's really important to branch out to friends, family, and other communities to find new ideas that can ease the fears of your toddler.

Putting Fears to Rest When it comes to facing fears, toddlers can be difficult. At this age, kids are still trying to figure out the world and many things surprise them. As you guide your kids through their daily adventures pay attention to how they react to certain events or activities. This may allow you to key in to potential fears and address them before they have the chance to cause problems for your children.