Fear Of Being Alone: ​​How To Understand Children’s Fear

Every day, millions of mothers and fathers have to deal with their children’s fear of being alone. Children’s fear of being alone is common, especially among young children.

Children’s fear of being alone generally develops between the ages of 2 and 5 years. If families do not handle it properly, it can have a direct impact on children’s emotional health.

In some cases, children’s fear of being alone may be associated with the fear of darkness and the need to sleep with the night light on. It can also appear along with other common forms of childhood fear, such as disguises and clowns.

But whatever it is that our children are afraid of, we as parents need to be aware of our children’s fears so that we can give them the help they need. 

This is how children perceive time

One of the reasons why children have a fear of being alone may be because they perceive the passage of time differently than adults do. 

We see this when, for example, we promise them a reward: children ask again and again when it’s time, and they do not accept “later” as an answer.

This is because children perceive the passage of time in a different way. A few minutes can feel like eternity for a small child.

This means that if a child is the last to be picked up from school because mom or dad is a few minutes late, then the waiting time can feel like hours.

This can even possibly lead to panic attacks. Some children may find it difficult to cope with such a situation. They may be afraid to go to school again.

Children’s fear of being alone is normal

Almost all children on earth experience this fear of being alone at some point in their childhood. This is normal and it is not a cause for concern.

Children can be afraid of being left alone, even if they are around other people. 

For example: some children may be afraid of being driven to school even though they are surrounded by other children. In this case , the fear is due to the feeling of insecurity. 

Children can also feel alone when playing in their room, even though they know you are nearby. This fear in babies often occurs when it is someone other than their mother or father who picks them up.

How to help children overcome their fear of being alone

One of our tasks as parents is to help our children overcome all kinds of difficulties in their lives. One of these is the fear of being alone.

1. Never minimize their problems

No matter how small or insignificant a child’s worries may seem, we should never minimize them. When we reject our children’s concerns, we only teach them that they cannot trust us.

2. Teach them not to be afraid

Some parents make the mistake of making their children afraid to do certain things. Threats, such as: “if you do not go to bed right now, then the boo-man comes and takes you”, create an atmosphere of fear.

Children who grow up in this environment tend to be insecure and shy, and they have a harder time seeing their fears in their eyes.

On the other hand, it is easy to be overprotective as a parent. For example, if our children have a problem in kindergarten or school, then it is tempting to go in and solve it for them.

But it is important to let children solve their problems themselves. In this way, they gain self-confidence and self-confidence.

3. Understand their fears

Instead of forcing children to confront their fears before they are ready, ask them to explain what they are afraid of and why. If you try to understand their fear of being alone, then you will get the tools you need to deal with the problem. 

Be sure to give your child your full attention when discussing this topic with them. 

This way, your child will see that you are interested in their problems. In the future, they will feel much more comfortable when they have to tell you about things that are happening to them.

Remember that the fear of being alone is completely normal in children. With lots of help and support from you, your child will be able to overcome it.