Scared or Fearful
What does fear look like for your kid?
Fear is a natural, inescapable part of being a kid. Examining your fears, learning to assess them, and even accepting them as natural and useful are important and valuable developmental lessons. For most people, fears develop during early stages of childhood and can follow us for the rest of our lives. Teaching your kid to manage their fears will help them build confidence, and help them feel more in control as they grow up.
Actions to start a conversation
You can start by telling your kid kindly that they seem scared or fearful. Sometimes it helps to start with a broad statement like "sometimes kids feel scared or frightened," before asking if your kid might feel that way himself. You can also encourage your child to open up by describing a time when you felt scared or fearful, and then asking if they've been having the same feeling.
Actions to do while listening
Don't dismiss their fears as silly, and try not to rush to reassurance. Summarize or rephrase what they've said to make sure you understand, then thank them for telling you how they're feeling. You can say something like: "thank you for telling me. I don't want you to feel alone, and now I can help."
Actions to understand
Ask if something in particular has made your kid feel scared or fearful or if there's anything else you should know, like issues at home, school or even online that might make them feel like they are in danger. All fears are different so there might be different approaches to helping them cope with different fears.