Let’s face it; nobody likes feeling scared or anxious. Whether it’s something as small as going to the dentist or as big as starting school, fears and anxiety can make life feel pretty tough. These feelings can arise more often and be more intense for little ones than for adults. Perhaps they don’t like the dark, or they’re worried about a dog they saw on the way to school. Maybe they don’t want to go to sleep if there are monsters under the bed. Whatever the cause of their worries, as parents, we want to do everything we can to help our children feel better. So, how do you help your little one deal with their fears & anxiety? Here are a few tips:

Identify the root of the problem

The first step is to try & figure out what is causing your child’s anxiety or fear. Is there a particular trigger that sets them off? Is it a specific situation, person or place? An example is if your child is afraid of spiders, try and find out if there was a specific incident that occurred & that made them feel this way. Perhaps they saw a spider in a TV show, or someone told them a story about one. But once you know what the problem is, you can start to work on a solution. Without knowing the cause, it can be not easy to help your child feel better.

Model positive coping strategies yourself

Once you’ve figured out the crux of the fear or anxiety, it’s essential to help your child find a way to cope with it. One way to do this is by modeling positive coping strategies yourself. For example, if the root of the problem is the giant spider they saw on the TV show, you could explain to them that it’s not real and offer some reassurance. You could say something like, “Don’t worry, that spider is not real. It’s just a character in a show. Spiders aren’t that big.” or “Look at how cute this little spider is! See, they’re not so bad.” By modeling positive coping strategies, you’re helping your child to understand that there are ways to deal with their fears & anxiety.

Create a safe and supportive environment for your child

The point here is to help your child feel safe and supported. This practice could involve physical safety, such as making sure their room is well-lit if they’re afraid of the dark. But it also includes emotional safety, which means creating an environment where your child feels comfortable talking about their fears & anxiety without judgment or criticism. If the environment is unsafe or unsupportive, everyone disregards the child’s feelings and does not take them seriously. This situation can worsen anxiety or fear and lead to further problems.

So, those are a few tidbits of tips to help your child deal with their fears & anxiety. Remember, every toddler or child is different and will respond to different coping strategies. But no doubt, with a bit of patience and incorporating the steps above, you’ll be able to help your child overcome their fears & anxiety and feel better in no time. Good luck!