It is difficult to know how you can reassure toddlers of their safety as you see them exhibit fears from time to time. Here are some ways you can help your toddler deal with his fears and insecurities.

The Dark

Just like an adult, a child feels that he can’t see what’s out there when it is dark and he feels unprotected and in turn becomes afraid. This is a very common fear of the unknown. Try to teach your child how he can turn on the lights in the house and perhaps add a night light in his room. If they have control over the amount of light they have in their room, their dependence on it will gradually decrease. A great idea submitted by a parent is to take your child out for a walk at night and point out all the interesting things you can see in the dark.

Monsters

Just like adults are often afraid of ghosts lurking around, children are afraid of monsters that can hurt them. There is no use telling your toddler that monsters don’t exist because it is a very real thing in his or her mind. Their imaginations can conjure up monsters in the form of clouds, shadows and dark corners. Take their concerns seriously and tell them that you are going to prevent monsters from visiting. Check under your child’s bed and in closets and after ensuring that there are no monsters anywhere, hand them a spray bottle with perfumed water (you are not going to reveal that) and explain that by spraying this around the room, monsters will not be able to enter. Sometime you need to get on the same level of your child to get through to them.

Separations

With separations, your child has the constant fear of what if mummy does not come back. It is very normal for pre-schoolers to become anxious when parents or primary caregivers leave. The key to making it a happier one if to have a healthy good-bye routine. Always stick to the same brief good-bye routine whenever you leave your child at a preschool or another trusted person. Making good-byes too long only adds to your child’s anxiety. The most important thing to note here is never to sneak away when your child is not looking. This will only make them more anxious the next time and trust you less. Always tell your child that that mummy will be back.

Happy Parenting!