5 Tips To Help Children Who Fear Animals
That there are children who fear animals should not be taken as a trifle or nonsense. Children, from childhood, often develop fears towards things that are in the environment, such as loud noises, fear of animals or fear of separation.
These fears cause anxiety in children that must be managed correctly to avoid the development of other pathologies, both physical and psychological. In the society we live in, the child will be constantly exposed to animals. In the cities, in addition to the dogs that walk with their guardians, there may be feral cats or birds. Because of this, a child is always going to be exposed to conflict.
Imitation, a basic form of learning
Birds and mammals, including humans, learn by imitation. Anxious parents who do not handle frustration or fear well will pass that on to their children.
Even if we do not like animals, or feel a certain fear towards them, we should not show it to children. They must see us safe and calm in the presence of animals, that they see that we ignore them and absolutely nothing happens. They will understand that we do not have to interact with people or animals that we do not want.
No to shock therapy in children who fear animals!
If a child is afraid of animals, we cannot force him to be in the presence of one, much less closely. We must respect, above all, the child. After working a lot on fear and anxiety towards animals, perhaps we can be close to one, ignoring him and ignoring the child.
Therefore, when the time comes, if we want our child to be comfortable with dogs, we must choose a quiet one that, of course, has no intention of approaching the child and invading his personal space.
It is not advisable to choose animal puppies at this time, as they tend to be more nervous and, although we see them small and adorable, the child will not see it that way.
Learn about the behavior of animals
Before coming into contact with animals, it is better to know them. A child does not understand what an animal is, that they are not beings that are going to harm us just because, that they have their own feelings and reasons for acting in one way or another. Therefore, it is interesting to carry out activities, together with the children, whose purpose is to know the animal world :
- View animal documentaries.
- Draw and make crafts with fabrics that imitate animal skins, such as cotton or velvet.
- Read about the different animals to learn how they behave and how we should behave with them.
Never ridicule fears
If an adult, with a developed reasoning and fear of needles, visits the doctor to draw blood, no matter how much he explains that there is no danger and that it does not hurt, the adult may still faint.
With this, we must understand that fears are important, no matter how childish they may seem. We can never tell a child that his fear is foolish, because for him it is not.
Professional support for children who fear animals
Finally, we should never walk the path of phobias alone. All these tips must be supervised by a professional, who will be the best person to help children who fear animals.
Underestimating fears is a mistake. Behind them, sometimes, other unmanaged problems are hidden that may lead to future psychopathies, disorders or disorders.
We live surrounded by animals. From them we learn and will continue to learn countless things. We must help children to overcome these fears and so that they can enjoy the company of animals as well.
