A sudden noise, a change of environment or simply the fear of the dark, your child encounters many anxieties during his development and maturation. To accompany and appease him, you need to reassure him and help him gain self-confidence.

Bedtime can be a source of anxiety for the child. Fear of being alone, in the dark, fear of monsters and shadows, these are all fears that he will have to overcome to begin a serene night. To help it on this path, there are avenues that are both reassuring and easy to implement:

• Establish a bedtime ritual: a moment of calm and sharing, this little routine is meant to be reassuring and brings a feeling of security to the child. It’s up to you to choose the activities adapted to the needs and the age of your little one: stories, songs, discussions and even monster hunting, the main thing is to be available to listen and reassure him.
• Anticipate any anxieties and take the time to organize your room according to your fears. As you talk to your child, identify toys with terrifying shadows and put them wisely in a cupboard. You can also leave him a flashlight or a night light available to reassure him and place his bed facing the door so that he feels less in danger.
• Finally, avoid letting him play in front of screens before bedtime so as not to stimulate him and not let him view images that could offend him.

Stomach pain, irritability, crying and even isolation are common symptoms of school anxiety for a child. True suffering, it is imperative to quickly determine what the exact object of your fear is: fear of failure, violence from one or more other children, severity from a teacher, etc.

For the little ones, this anxiety is most often linked to a fear of abandonment. To help him manage this separation, the presence of familiar objects such as his blanket is essential. You can also create time markers (lunch, nap then reunion) to help visualize the day.

For older children and especially teenagers, competition at school can quickly become very scary. Regularly reassure him about his abilities and skills and praise him with every good mark or appreciation. In this way, the attention is not only focused on his results but rather on his progress and his desire to learn. As for the anxieties linked to school violence, you must act without delay and deal with the problem quickly.

Hypersensitive, children are sometimes terrified by a simple unusual and / or sudden noise. In reality, they are afraid, not of noise, but of the unknown and of something which they do not understand. To help reassure him and reduce his fear, it is best to explain to your child where this noise is coming from and what is its cause.

The dog and its barking can, for example, become a real source of anxiety for the child. To help him apprehend a future encounter with the animal, imitate this noise with him and make a game of it. Also explain to him what this dog’s “waouf-waouf” is used for and promote cuddly exchanges with an animal. your entourage. Be careful, however, not to force the child and to let him go at his own pace, at the risk of creating real deep anxiety or even phobia.

Young and old alike need to exteriorize their fears and tame them. To help them, small, simple activities can be very effective:

• For the little ones, the games of hide and seek and imitation are very good tools to reassure them. By hiding, they learn and overcome the fear of abandonment, while by imitating, they relive, by controlling them, distressing episodes of their daily life.
• Books and art activities are also great outlets for children. By coming to life in a drawing or a painting, the child learns to understand, express and play down his fears.

But if a fear or anxiety becomes too disabling in his everyday life and causes real suffering, without your efforts being able to change anything, support by a specialist is required.