We all know fear is a natural part of childhood, and learning to overcome fears is a part of growing up. In this post, you’ll find five easy ways you can help your child overcome their fears!

We all know fear is a natural part of childhood, and learning to overcome fears is a part of growing up. In this post, you’ll find five easy ways you can help your child overcome their fears!

Whether your child is afraid of monsters under the bed or going back to school, you can help your child overcome their feelings.

Here are five ways parents can help ease the fears of their child:

Listen to their feelings

It’s natural to want to comfort your child, but it’s vital not to dismiss their feelings. Avoid telling them things like “There is nothing to be afraid of.” Or “Stop worrying.” Rather than helping your child feel better, these statements send the message that they should not talk about their worries. It may also make them think you don’t care about their feelings.

2. Encourage rational thinking

Often a child’s fear is not based on anything rational, and you can help them overcome it by encouraging them to take each thought captive. You can do this by guiding them through the following steps:

· Teach your child to examine the thought that is making them feel afraid.

· Ask them to identify if it is a fact or feeling.

· Look for evidence to support or disprove the idea.

Teaching your child to strengthen their analytical thinking skills will not only help them overcome their fears today but will also serve them in other areas in their lives, including their faith.

3. Pray with them

Help your child learn to turn to God with their fears by praying with them. Remind them that it doesn’t matter what we say, just that we talk to God about how we are feeling. Even a quick prayer like “Help Jesus!” can be whispered when they are gripped by fear. Also, remind them to thank him when they feel brave enough to tackle scary things or sense his comfort.

4. Small steps

Helping your child overcome their fear won’t happen all at once. Sometimes you have to take small steps forward. Invite your child to help you create those mini-goals that will lead to them tackling the fear. For example, if your child is afraid of a neighbor’s dog, let them watch the animal from the window for a while. Then allow your child to wave at the dog from your front door. From there, you can invite your child to say hello to the animal at a distance that they feel is comfortable. The trick is to teach your child to conquer their fears in increments.

5. Applaud successes

Praise your child when they face their fear and let them know how proud you are of them. Doing this helps them develop a growth mindset so they will be better equipped to tackle challenges in the future. Fear can be a strong and overwhelming emotion for children. As a parent, it’s key to be patient and encouraging no matter how long it takes.

Blessings,

Chandra Philip