Help Your Child Overcome Irrational Nighttime Fears
All adults obviously know there are no such things as fantastic monsters hiding under the bed or dwelling in the bedroom closet, there is no amount of begging or discussion that can convince a scared youngster that monsters do not exist. Although a fear of fictional monsters may seem minor to mature adults, it can bring real stress and anxiety for a kid and interrupt his or her rest and well-being during the day. Amid the many sleep difficulties children and mothers and fathers work through together at night is an irrational fear of monsters.
One school of thought states that mom and dad shouldn’t give in to a child’s imagination and should instead work to reassure the kid that monsters really don’t exist. While this method may work for older kids who have some practical experience with intellectual reasoning, it will be much more problematic for less mature children to comprehend. Children between the ages of 4 to 7 are observant enough to realize there are things in the world that are scary, but their capability to identify which are absolutely genuine and which are imaginary has not yet completely evolved. These are the two ways of thinking when it comes to dealing with young children and their fearfulness of monsters.
If you minimize your little one’s concerns then you are essentially saying their thoughts really don’t matter. Continuously suggesting to a kid that his or her anxieties are unfounded can actually undermine your kid’s confidence. Likewise, if you begin to tell your kid that mythical things do no exist then he or she may begin to question other tenants of childhood such as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.
The majority of child psychology specialists advocate that you should instead indulge your kid in the belief of fictional creatures within limits. No matter what method you use, it is important that treat your child’s worry earnestly and not just laugh it off. One strategy that has proved helpful for many mothers and fathers is using some kind of imaginary device to scare away the fictional creatures. Some mothers and fathers use monster spray, other use made up secret spells and even others have employed night lights that are developed to scare away those imaginary critters. If your son or daughter is especially smart you may want to try a more high-tech solution for your iPod Touch with an app designed to chase away monsters.
It is crucial for parents and guardians to speak with their children to try to understand the problem. Abrupt behavioral issues, mood swings and explosive tempers may all be the signs of a deficiency of sleep caused by anxiety and fear. It is your job as a parent or guardian to support your kid to triumph over those anxieties and get a good night’s rest. Whatever method you use to work with your child to overcome his or her irrational fear of unreal monsters, don’t forget that even though it seems trivial to you it is a very genuine concern for your child. Young children who are all of a sudden terrified of fantastic things may be spending too much time watching inappropriate television, playing video games that are intended for an older audience or they may have a tense situation at home or with a family member.
Searching for a new way to make your kids behave this Christmas season? Instead of putting a stuffed elf on a shelf why not try a Santa is Watching app for your iPhone or iPod Touch? It’s a fun and inexpensive way to remind them that Santa Claus watching!
February 4, 2012 | Posted by James Swanson
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