Article source: https://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/parenting/kids-got-fears-never-fear

It’s the peace and quiet of children finally sleeping. But mid-way through your exhaled sigh of relief, you hear a tiny voice chirping. “Mom! Dad! I’m scared!”

It’s nothing new–over the years, you’ve checked for monsters under the bed, velociraptors in the closet, aliens outside the window, and a giant, creepy clown that supposedly visits your child’s room at night.

Even your best detective skills have never turned up anything more than a couple of dust bunnies and a missing sock. 

Still, your kiddo remains doubtful. 

Because…what if?

Common childhood fears aren’t limited to nighttime, of course–many kids are afraid of everything from swimming pools (what if there’s a shark in the deep end?!?) to thunderstorms (what if the lightning gets me?!?) to spiders (can you blame them?).

Some fears may be more legitimate than others, but all are very real to your child, whether they’re two or twelve.

If there’s a fierce imaginary something plaguing your house, don’t worry: your kids don’t have to grow up unreasonably afraid of the dark, or anything else! 

The five strategies below will help give your child the confidence and courage to brave the bogeymen–alongside life’s weightiest, most realistic fears.

1. Validate, Rather Than Brush Off, Your Child’s Feelings

You may feel too busy, frustrated, or exhausted to talk about zombies, vampires, or any of the common antagonists of macabre fiction again. (“They’re just made-up creatures, Honey!”)

But younger children, especially, are still making sense of the world and sorting reality from fantasy. That distinction is understandably murky.

It’s our job to reassure our kiddos that certain threats are far less plausible than others (or just plain impossible), but we can accompany that assurance with a pang of empathy, too. It’s hard to be little and awash with hundreds or more images–and verbal warnings–of potential dangers each day. 

Kids aren’t silly for resorting to fight and flight while processing everything; fear first, in-depth reasoning later. (Even though you know your kid won’t get food poisoning from that bite of broccoli, he’s not so sure…)

And, of course, fear can be useful. Its purpose in survival is crystal clear. 

Rather than dismissing our children’s anxieties, it helps to respond with empathy and encouragement. 

Lending a sympathetic tone doesn’t mean playing into the anxiety or the fear. It just means we’re letting our kids know we understand how it feels to be scared–and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. 

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