“Mum, I’m scared of the dark.”
Words from my four year old recently.
When I delved deeper, it wasn’t the dark he was scared of, but the thoughts about ‘baddies’ getting him. (He loves superheroes and it turns out he was thinking about the villains coming in to his bedroom).
We talked about the thoughts that were making him feel scared.
We then thought of lots of things that made him feel happy, smiley, safe and comfortable.
He chose to think about a picture of his friend’s smiley face.
Now, each time he has a thought about a baddie, he can switch the picture to a thought about his smiling friend.
This video explains how helping our children to recognise and detach from their thoughts, gives them control over their own fears and worries.
You are not solving their problem and telling them that the ‘baddies’ aren’t real and won’t come in to their room. You are guiding them to become aware of their thoughts – thoughts that are not real and don’t have to be believed.
It’s then over to them (and to you to keep reminding them) that they can change their thought pictures!
Take a look and see how it helps…
Jo x