Imagination Plays Big Part In Childish Fears

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 75, 8 April 1949, Page 7

Imagination Plays Big Part In Childish Fears

(By the Department of Health)

Two of the commonest fears of childhood are fear of the dark and of being lost. In some ways, fear of the dark is reasonable and natural, because it is obviously more dangerous to move about and try to do things if you can not see. But children’s fears seem not to be related to the risk of hurting themselves physically, but rather of ghosts and bogeys and burglars and wild animals which they fear will attack them.

Obviously fears like this are implanted in the child mind by silly threats made by parents or talk by other children whose parents use “bogeyman” warnings if their child does not behave. Brought up from infancy accustomed to sleeping in complete darkness, a child will seldom develop upsetting fears of the dark.

If a child, in spite of sensible early training, develops a fear of the dark, it ought to have a dim light in its bedroom or on the landing just outside, and have the door open until it goes to sleep. The fear of being lost or deserted by its parents is particularly strong in the child from about two .to five years ol& Incidentally little boys from about four to seven years old seem to be more inclined to fears than little girls. ■ Little children feel a very great need for a secure background. Most of them are unable to adapt themselves happily to a change in the person looking after them.. Up to the age of five, a child and its familiar adult are one unit, and should not be separated. In addition to these two general fears, many children have special fears of their own.

Children can face up to real dangers better than imaginary ones. Only by help and encouragement can we help theln to overcome the fears created by their imagination.