• Helping Children Through Scary Situations

  • One of the worst things a parent can experience is seeing their child in fear. For a child, being in a scary situation can really have an impact on them, whether it’s seeing a frightening image or getting lost at the grocery store. The best thing to do after events like these is to comfort your child and help them deal with their fear. We all remember being scared as a kid, and it is not a pleasant memory.

    With Halloween just around the corner, your child may be exposed to some frightening things. Take measures in preventing scary situations from happening to your family. A child should never have to worry about getting harmed. Halloween is not the only scary thing that can happen.

    Read on for five ways that can help prevent scary situations and create a safe environment.

    1. Keep your child away from any scary movies, TV shows, and/or websites. This means monitoring what your child can and cannot see, finding out what they already view, and looking for appropriate and fun programs they can enjoy. Taking the time to watch with your children not only provides a chance to monitor their viewing, but it also creates a fun, bonding experience as well. Of course, this also means your child should not see the latest horror film or recent scary video games. Also, the age of your child determines what type of entertainment they can see. You may already implement these strategies, and if so, good job!

     

    1. Have an open conversation with your child. Talk to your kids about what they fear and give them encouragement to get through their fears. From this conversation, you can assess how to prevent your child from scary situations.

     

    1. Make sure they know all the safety rules. Ensure your children know to look both ways before crossing a street, not to play with sharp objects, and any other rules related to their physical and mental safety. Physical harm can be a scary situation. In the possibility of your child getting lost in public, make sure they know what to do— find an employee and/or another mother with kids to help them.

     

    1. Make sure they know the “stranger danger” policies. The well-being of your child is very important. Tell them that if any adult is making them feel uncomfortable, that it’s okay to say “no” and get away from that person. Make sure that they know to inform you, the parent, and/or a teacher of what happened if they do experience a situation like that. Let them know that it is never okay to get in a car, stranger or not, without your permission, ensuring that they always get away from a person wishing to harm them.

     

    1. Host fun family nights with your children. A positive and fun atmosphere keeps away any fearful feelings. If your child is having bad dreams, making good memories before they go to sleep may be an effective way to combat those negative dreams. A fun and joyful time creates a safe environment where your child is comfortable sharing with you.

     

    Nightmares can be another scary situation. There are ways to help your child with nightmares, however. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep. Setting a regular bedtime may prevent frightening dreams. As previously mentioned, having a fun and happy time before going to bed may stamp out any nightmares. This activity is good to do 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Discussing the bad dream during the day may help you find out whether something is bothering your child or not. And of course, showing comfort to your child after they have a nightmare is great way to help them. Expressing peace to your child tells them that everything is okay, and you are always around for their security.

    This Halloween season, make sure your child is safe and secure and not in any scary situations.

    Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/pediatric-nighttime-fears/nightmares