Actually before this email, I think, when Maki was about 15 to 18 months old he already developed a fear on Mascots and statue, especially those fast food chain statues. We don't know how it was developed but we just noticed when we were passing by a fast food chain and there was a life size statue. I was carrying him and suddenly he just started clinging on me really tight as he has a ghost. So we tried to look where or to whom he was scared and found out that he was scared with the statue. We got worried that he might developed a more complex fear on mascots and statue so we tried little by little to let him know that its not scary. By simply touching the statue and letting him know that its harmless. It took us 4 months for him to overcome that fear. By now, Maki is the one going and playing around with the statues.
Babycenter.com shares options and strategies for you on how to ease your toddler's fears. So here are some of the strategies to consider.
Don't make light of his/her fears. Try not to smile or be dismissive when she reacts with fright to, say, a flushing toilet or a siren. Let her know you understand how it feels to be afraid of something. If you're reassuring and comforting, she'll learn that it's okay to feel afraid and it's best to deal with her fears.
Use a "lovey." A so-called comfort object — a raggedy baby blanket, perhaps, or a well-worn teddy bear — can help some children with their fears. An object like this can offer an anxious child familiarity and reassurance, especially at times when you need to leave her, such as when you drop her off at daycare or tuck her in for the night.
Explain, expose, and explore. A scared toddler can sometimes get over a fright if you provide a simple, rational explanation for what's worrying her. You may put an end to her fear of being sucked down the drain along with the bathwater by saying, "Water and bubbles can go down the drain, but rubber duckies and children can't." Or explain that an ambulance has to make a really loud noise so that other cars know to get out of the way.
Problem-solve together. If your toddler's afraid of the dark, get a nightlight for her room. Other tactics you can use to banish bedtime fears include a designated guard (a beloved stuffed animal), "monster spray" (water in a spray-bottle), or a magic phrase that wards off unwelcome visitors.
Practice through pretend play. If your child is terrified of the doctor, she may benefit from role-playing what happens at the doctor's office (a toy doctor's kit can help). Some toddlers feel more confident when they actually visit the doctor if they come with their kit in tow.
Don't share your own fears. If your toddler sees you break out in a sweat because there's a spider in the bedroom or cringe when you walk into the dentist's office, then she's likely to feel scared of these things, too. So try to work through your own anxieties or at least try to downplay them.
To read more about how to ease your toddler's fear just visit babycenter.com
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