The peculiarity of the children's psyche is that it hardly resists various fears. And those experiences that will be painless for an adult can cause severe trauma to the child’s consciousness. That is why it is so important to diagnose and treat childhood fears in the early stages.
Instruction manual
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Children's fears are not always noticeable. In the initial stages, they are usually difficult to detect. To recognize a baby's phobia, watch him. If he became more withdrawn, began to tremble at the harsh sounds, often wakes up at night, then perhaps he is tormented by fear. Also pay attention to the drawings of the child. Dark colors, sharp lines, strange creatures - this is another alarming indicator.
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Try talking to your child. Your conversation should have a light, laid-back tone. You can start by discussing a recently read book, a movie, etc. Gradually through leading questions, find out what the child is afraid of.
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After you discover an object or phenomenon that causes fear, begin to work with the imagination of the child. Ask him to draw what the baby is afraid of. Nearby, advise him to portray himself. In this case, the child in his drawing should look confident, strong and courageous. Place this image in a prominent place so that the baby quickly overcomes his fear.
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If the child is afraid of some fairy-tale monster, then give him an item that will give him confidence in the fight against this creature. For example, a toy sword, an amulet (if fear is connected with something mystical). And be sure to express your willingness to help the baby in the fight against his fears. Tell us what you yourself were afraid of as a child and how you dealt with this fear. You must become a reliable support and ally for him.
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Monitor the entire course of the process. Ask how the child slept, whether he had nightmares. If the answers are slurred and evasive, then the situation is getting worse. Suggest different solutions. For example, to sleep with the light on or to come to your room at night. Sometimes children are simply embarrassed to ask for it and suffer from fear alone.
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Constantly encourage the child, emphasize his strengths, in no case do not put pressure on him. Many adults often “stimulate” children with phrases: “Well, pack up! Are you a brave guy or some kind of mumble?” Such tactics lead to the fact that the baby begins to hide his fears, which in the future can turn into severe phobias, behind external confidence and fearlessness.
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