ChildFears – kiddenz-admin

Avoid Losing Your Child in Public Places

Every parent’s worst nightmare is losing your kid in public places. Parents love to travel with their children or take them out. Child safety should be of paramount importance. Just as we say ‘Prevention is better than cure’ if some tips are kept in mind when you travel with small kids such fearful situations can be avoided.

Dress your child in bright colours

In public places, it is easier to spot a child in bright colours. Before entering the crowded area, help your child memorize how you are dressed. This can help your child describe what you are wearing in case your child gets lost in the crowd. This can also help people in tracing his dear ones easily.

Device a plan for the day

Try to make a plan which is specific to the place you are going to. Point out a meeting spot to your child. Help the child to recognize the spot and its surroundings well. Ensure that the meeting point that you have selected can be easily located and reached by your child. Ask him to reach there and to wait if he gets separated from the group.

Train your child on what to do when he gets lost

Children should be taught what they must do if they get lost in public places. For a child’s safety, you must teach them that they must approach a responsible adult, for example, a security guard, a police or a mother with children. Children must explain the situation to adults and seek their help. Make them understand that they should never accept a ride from a stranger or never exit the premises if he/she is lost in an enclosed area like a mall or park and never accept food items or drink from strangers.

Help your child to memorise a few important details

For a child’s security, your child should be able to tell their full name and age, their home address, their parent’s full name and their mobile number.

If your child is too small to memorize, you can write them down in a piece of paper and place it in his or her pocket. You can also think of making an ID card for your child to wear in public places.

Keep a recent digital photo of your child with you

This is in case your child does get lost in a public place. Recent photographs describing features of your baby will help those involved in the search recognize the child from the crowd.

Consider using a digital tracking device

With the growth of Technology, using a digital tracking system can be of help. This can help you keep track of your child’s location using a smartphone that has access to the GPS device’s tracking signal.

Give him a mobile phone

If your child is old enough, you can consider giving him a mobile phone. Hand him at least a feature phone just for the duration of the trip. In case he gets lost can be used to get in touch with the parents.

Stay alert

Remember that you should not get too distracted or involved in a conversation with your spouse, friends, or other family members. Have an eye on where your kids are and what they are up to. Staying alert in a public place is the best precaution that can be taken for your child safety.

Losing your child in a public place can indeed be a traumatic experience. So when you start planning to take your children out to have fun; prepare them well for what they should do in case they get separated from their parents. This will help the children to be alert and act wisely even if they get lost in a crowd, and will be doing the appropriate things as their parents have taught them.

Here’s How to Help Your Child Overcome Fears

Fears are a normal part of childhood—and thus are learning to get over them. Few children are scared of the dark while others believe that there are giants under the bed and some shouts when they find an insect on the pavement.

Before you begin to panic that these perplexing fears indicate there is something incorrect with your child, understand that these fears are completely usual part of their growth. Ultimately, learning to handle fear is an essential life lesson. Usually, these fears are not completely sensible but what they are feeling, along with their physiological response to it, is very genuine indeed.

Take comfort in the fact your kid will grow out of these fears. Here are a few things you can do to make the evolution just that little bit easier for your little one:

Introduce role models

The fears of children are common and for this reason, there is a range of resources out there to help you in teaching your kid how to deal with them. Search for age-appropriate children’s films, toys, and books with characters that help in overcoming fears and being brave.

Be patient

Do not force your child to deal with their fears before they are ready. Keep in mind; while the fear might be puzzling to you, it is still very real to them. Rather, be patient, sympathetic and let them confront their fears at their own pace. You can talk to them through the emotion they are feeling in a comforting and calm manner.

Give them control

Fear can be a direct response to feeling helpless and physically threatened. Children who are frightened of the bathroom, for instance, are worried they will be flushed down; kids who are frightened of the monster under the bed are feeling at risk on their own in the dark.

Offering your child an aspect of control in the management of their panic will help them feel safe and sound. For instance, if they are frightened of burglars in the night, make locking and shutting their bedroom window one of their night-time tasks.

Answer their questions

Even though childhood fears are typically based on exaggerated or imaginary perceptions, that does not mean they are not very real to your kid. Discuss with them about their fears and try and understand where they are coming from.

Motivate your child to ask you any questions they like and do your best to answer them in simple, age-appropriate ways. If you do not know all the answers, research them together online or at the library.

Motivate and applaud

Ignoring your child’s fears or laughing at them will attain nothing optimistic. Ignoring or belittling your kid may compel them to internalise their fear instead of dealing with it and also shatter their belief in you.

Rather, talk to your child about their fears, assure them that you are there for them and persuade them to deal with their fears in their way – and in their time. It is also vital to praise their efforts when they do something out of their comfort zone. It will go a long way towards building their self-confidence and overcoming their fears.

However, if your child’s fears appear like they may be something more severe, consult with a doctor to see if more assistance is needed.