1st fears help

[MrsPMP]

My LO turned 2 today! woohoo! And today came his first moment of what seems like 'fear'...he's been a little fearful of things as a baby like the hoover, but never anything major so this has come as a bit of a shock.
We went out for lunch and when we came outta the pub it was chucking it down, so we ran to the car quick and we were(well mainly me!) were squeeling and laughing so I guess we made a big deal of it!
Then tonight he watched an episode of peppa pig where the teddy gets left outside in the rain at night and it freaked him out, he ran to me whining about it...I thought ok...
Then tonight in the bath, he just seemed a little sad...then happy and then sad again..but not his normal happy go lucky self..he may have been just tired but then I asked him what was wrong and somehow he started talking about wet and rain and dark and peppa pig and I asked him if the dvd and the running in the rain made him scared and the look on his face was like terror!
I tried to reassure him that rain is fun, that peppas teddy was rescued and alright really and I said we won't run in the rain again and he said 'yeah' as if he agreed that was a good idea lol..but I don't know if I've done enough! I don't want him to have nightmares or be worried...
What do you parents do if your child finds something they are afraid of? Or that they fear? or like if they wake up scared about something in the night, how do you reassure them?
thanks!

 

[sherylb]

I don't think we have had nightmares but my DD has big issues with noises. I try to just explain what it is she's hearing and show her it won't hurt her.

 

[wifey29]

Mine has started this recently. We too have had a big issue with noises, but we have just explained that noises can't hurt you and he seems to be getting better with it. The biggest fear he gas at the moment are a bunch of animatronic bears (bear toys as he calls them) he saw at the zoo a few weeks ago. Since them he keeps talking about them saying "no like bear toys". We explained that we don't ever have to see them again, that the bear toys are gone and that mummy and daddy will always keep him safe. I know when he's thinking about them as he says "mummy daddy keep W safe" then gives me a cuddle.

 

[MrsPMP]

awww its so sad isnt it! the bear thing breaks my heart!
Elijah is not wanting to fall asleep by himself in his room tonight now -_-
This phase worries me! I can't have two babies in my bed in 15 weeks time! eeek! He's only just sleeping the night now.
I just wanna make him all better!

 

[sherylb]

My friend's daughter was still falling asleep in Mom and Dad's bed at her 3rd birthday and then they would move her to her bed. She didn't seem to have issues with waking up in a different room. Is he a solid sleeper?

 

[MrsPMP]

My friend's daughter was still falling asleep in Mom and Dad's bed at her 3rd birthday and then they would move her to her bed. She didn't seem to have issues with waking up in a different room. Is he a solid sleeper?

No, terrible sleeper, just started sleeping through the night about 80% of the time! He seems to be staying now...I don't mind the odd occasion of sleeping in our bed but don't want this to become a habit now!

 

[sherylb]

Yeah I feel the same way. That and our DD won't sleep in our bed because she's too busy looking around (even in the dark). We put door knob covers on the inside of DD's door so she won't be walking around the house if she wakes up while we are sleeping.

 

[RcdM]

My dd was afraid of the vacuum at first. And she would go far away but still to a place where she could see it and watch me. So the next time while it was still off I held her hand and we walked over to it and we touched it and practiced saying vacuum. Once she seemed okay with that I turned it on. She looked scared but didn't cry, she just looked at me like omg! I held her while I vacuumed and then later put her down and held her hand on the vacuum so she could "vacuum" the floor herself. Then she liked it and now she has no problem with it.

So in my opinion I think when things that are obviously not bad/scary/harmful it is good to expose them to it more so they realize it is not scary. Now if they are afraid of strangers or something I obviously wouldn't recommend going up to a bunch of strangers, lol, but little things like that I think they just need to see it's fine and can even be fun. Maybe next time it rains you can look out the window with him and make it exciting, talking about splashing in puddles and how fun that could be. Take small steps. Then maybe open the door and stick your arm out into the rain and show him the drops on your arm and make it a game so he eventually wants to try it to. From there work your way up to stepping outside in some rain boots and making splashes or trying to catch some in your mouths. Just an idea.

 

[MrsPMP]

Thankfully he slept the night last night eventually and hasn't spoken about it today! I hope it's all forgotten! lol