Everyone of us has our own fear, that’s a common emotion and it’s part of our life. Fear can be caused by many different causes and sources, some fear came from threaten while some was because of the anxiety within, some young children are scared of the dark and strangers, while others afraid to go to school.
Babies began to feel their anxiety when they were just six months old, they will cry uncontrollably when they are in fear. When they are around 18 months old, toddlers become extremely sensitive to the existence of strangers and tend to get panic when people they are familiar with are not at their side. At age three, young children started to comprehend the mystery darkness around them and start to know their fear when left in the dark. They tend to get their nightmares at night around this time.
After age four, children can feel and fear of the pain of separation. This type of separation can be their best friend leaving the school for a new town, or the decease of their relatives or grand-parents whom they never get to meet again. Fortunately, after age six, children are better in relating and discussing their fear and inner feelings with their parents or friends around them which would help to release their hidden fear.
It is not uncommon for children around the age of five to eight relating on their resistance to attend school. This is especially common when they change teachers or class, or when their best friends change class or new school, or if they are dislike of some specific teachers in school. When this happened, children can fake multiple different kinds of excuses for not attending school.
What should be done if you are a new parent in this situation?
1. Get advice from other parents and find out the best way to deal with this trauma. Consulting professional child psychologists will help to relieve your worries and concerns. You will also get to understand some of the possibilities which may have caused the resistance and fear in your child.
2. Parents ought to stay patient, calm and offer comfort to your child. Don’t get excited with them refusing school. Remember that your anxiousness will affect them negatively. Children need time to adapt to new changes in their life, so bear with them is the key!
3. Find some good time to talk to the kid and find out the real cause of his deep down fear. You can share your own schooling experience when you were their age, and how you had managed to overcome the phobia of going to school at time. Sharing positive experiences will eventually get them through this phase.
4. Accompany your child to his school continuously in week is a good way to soothe and reduce his anxiety. You can also utilize this opportunity to talk to his classmates and teachers on this and find out if there are any sudden changes in his recent academic achievement, concentration in class or if there are any extra-ordinary happenings in school or class lately.
5. At all times, teachers and tutors ought to show their understanding and support. Find time to talk to this student getting to know the real cause of them getting hostile over going to school. Do not force these young children for answers if they are not ready. Teachers, tutors and parents should understand that this will take time and patience is needed here.