Image by Kimberly Montgomery from Pixabay
Ever see a 3- or 4-year old at Disneyland screaming in terror whenever someone in a costume came by? Wonder why their parents brought them in the first place?
What Mom and Dad don’t realize is that their little one is in a period of trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not.
These little ones are constantly scanning the environment to learn and make sense of what they see. If what she sees doesn’t make sense, she feels afraid. At her age, her imagination is running wild.
To help her cope with this overwhelming stage in her life, do what you do best, bring comfort and a sense of safety.
Scoop her up, or sit down with her in your lap even if you’re in the aisle at the market, wrap yourself around her until she calms and can learn from the situation. She’ll rent your courage and develop trust in her skills to continue to explore.
Never minimize her fear and don’t shame her for it.
Claudia
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