Adults can help the child to overcome most of such fears. During the first week, Henrik’s father stays with him in the child minder’s flat and then leaves for a short time until Henrik knows that his Daddy will surely return. Paulina’s pediatrician demonstrates on Paulina’s mother how she will carry out the check. At home, Paulina now has a doctor’s kit so that the situation at the doctor’s place will not be so strange next time. Soren is helped, too: he can get to know very cautiously the placid dog of his neighbour. His mother helps him to assess the risk: Look, the dog wags his tail, because he is happy.

Mia’s parents, too, take Mia’s fears seriously: In the evening, they look together with her under the bed and behind the curtain; the door is left open for all eventualities, and a dim light is left on in the corridor because this is what crocodiles and lions don’t like this at all. Whether you understand your child’s fears or not – it is important to take them seriously.

Scolding an anxious child, making fun of him/her or forcing him/her into something he/she is afraid of will only enhance the feeling of powerlessness and loneliness. Patient support will help to overcome most fears of children, they will “grow out” of them. But if anxiety constrains a child (and his/her parents) too much and affects his/her vitality, parents should seek help in a family education and consultation facility.

www.bke.de

2010-01-18 Gisela Steppke-Bruhn