Childhood Fears by Age: What Scares School Kids

Read on to find out what scares school kids.

The day has come and you are a parent but what about all these new adventures you as a parent are going to face. You may think back to your childhood and many of the memories were great but there were also many that that created fear when you were a kid. These are things to think about as you raise your newborn into a child and then a typical kid. What fears might your kid face? There are always things that go bump in the night. A bully on the block or trouble and anxiety at school. These are all normal and typical fears. You may have nothing to worry about but try telling your child that. The sad thing is if you don’t nip some of these fears in the bud now, your kid is going to be a worrywart way into old age. Your the one who can make the difference in how your child handles their fears. Here are a few ideas that might help.

A Child’s Fear is more than one-sided:

Not all fear is a bad thing. In fact, a bit of fear serves kind of like an insurance policy. This ensures that we don’t blindly jump into the wrong choices. Some fear is wired right into our brains as we mature, for example, the fear of snakes, tarantulas, sharks, fire etc…. The average person might not encounter any of these circumstances, however; if and when they do kids know that this is dangerous and is a fear that is real. Other children experience anxiety and emotional disorders. A serious loss of a parent can trigger a strong emotional response like multi complex post-traumatic stress disorder. This disorder is compounded by events that keep happening throughout a kid’s life that causes deep scars. In cases like this, it is always wise to seek a professional psychotherapist’s help to ensure your kid can cope with the loss throughout their adult life. In all reality, most childhood fear is predictable and normal.

Common Childhood Fears:

These are some of the fears your kid will develop when they are in grade school. Snakes, spiders, storms, being home alone, fear of a certain teacher, scary news or certain television shows, injury, illness, doctors, shots, death, fear of failure and rejection.

Easing Fears in School-Aged Children:

As children go to grade school realism sets in. Children are exposed to more real-world dangers like fire drills, burglars, storms, and war. Don’t always assume you know all about your child’s fears, however; if your child is afraid to go swimming after swimming lessons, is this a fear of failure or a fear of the water? You have to ask if you want to know. Not all children will tell their parents their fears. Some children who are worried about natural disasters might teach their parents’ what they learned in school about storms, volcanoes, tornadoes or earthquakes. This helps your grade school child understand that different situations arise in different parts of the world. This usually works for children who are more cognitively oriented. Some children worry more and are just plain physically tense so relaxation techniques work much better for them. You can give your child a bath with some relaxing essential oils or give them a muscle rub. Studies have shown that kids that are physically tense worry warts, calm down much faster using these techniques.

General Guidelines for Grade School Age:

Don’t try to talk your child out of being afraid. Talk through their fears with them. Remain confident and calm and it’s as important to talk to your child as it is to choose the correct choice of words. Never force your child to take on more than they can handle, this means don’t give them a total way out either, however; avoiding the answer for anxiety isn’t the answer either. Teach them coping mechanisms and role play. All grade school children enjoy role-playing with their parents. Rewards are always a plus no matter how large or small they may be.