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Sometimes
parents will ask you about children’s fears that are not common.
The parents may be concerned because their child is afraid of certain
things while other children are not. Usually parents notice their children’s
fears, but due to family changes or problems that may have upset both
the parents and the children, they may not. There may be so much going
on that the parent has not noticed the child’s fears. You can help
them to be more aware of their child’s feelings, and to think of
ways to help their child cope. This is the first step in helping parents
work with their children. You also can help them figure out if they need
to ask for more help for their child.
Often there is a reason why children have unusual fears. Something might be going on in their life that is making them scared. One example is a child who is scared of doctors after he was very sick and spent time in the hospital. Hospitals may become scary when he remembers how sick he was. A 6-year-old child might be scared again of leaving his mom. This is not common for children that age, but maybe he watched his dad pack up and move out last weekend. Now he wonders if mom will leave him too. Moving to a new house may also be scary for children. Also, since children can be observant, they might be noticing that the parent is feeling stress, which makes them stressed. Sometimes just talking with the parents about their children’s fears will help. A meeting with you may help the parents understand why the child has these fears, and what they can do about them. You can also give them ideas. Sometimes you and the parents cannot learn why their children are afraid. And, some fears don’t get better. Some will not go away even when you and the parent are working together to help the child. When you talk with the parents about these kinds of fears, set apart some time to sit down and talk. Talk about what you have noticed in the child. Suggest that you both write down every time the child is really scared. Write down when he got scared and what he was doing when he got scared. This information can help you both begin to understand the child’s fears. Suggest to the parents that you both do this for a few weeks. After those weeks, meet again to look at what you wrote down about when the child was scared. Finding patterns in the behavior might help give you ideas about how to help the child. Some
children need more help than you and their parents can give them. You
both may run out of ideas to help their child. You may want to suggest
they talk
to someone who knows more about children’s fears. There are
resources in the community that could help you. You can work with the
family to find connections
for them. Some good places to start are the family doctor, school counselor,
clergy or a community mental health clinic. Asking for help may be the
best way to help the child. |
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For
more information, contact Judith A. Myers-Walls,
PhD, CFLE at jmyerswa@purdue.edu
or at 765-494-2959
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