Whos afraid of the big bad wolf?
Fear of loud noises
Is your toddler suddenly scared of sudden noises?
She’s not alone.
Why it happens
Bam!
Sudden, loud noises often startle toddlers, who might just assume the sky is falling.
And shots arent the only fear factor the doctors cold stethoscope or bright light could seem scary as well.
The most important thing is not to tease or belittle your child’s fear.
Why is this a top toddler fear?
Chalk it up to your tots developing mind and growing imagination.
Shes also clued into the fact that shes a tiny person in a large, potentially unsafe world.
If you were her size, youd be scared of Big Bird looming over you, too.
Children eventually outgrow their phobias including a fear of Santa and other characters.
Wherever theres a big gathering, theres usually a lot of noise, strangers and maybe unfamiliar sights.
These are all common toddler fears rolled into one overwhelming situation.
No wonder many tots (and even bigger kids) get spooked.
Ignoring your childs discomfort or making her feel ashamed wont toughen her up and make her fear disappear.
In fact, itll have the opposite effect.
In the short run, youre inviting a major meltdown (making the outing no fun for everyone).
In the long run, you risk turning her fear into a phobia thats even harder to control.
Plus, you may shake her trust that youll always take care of her.
But you cant always steer clear of mobbed locations.
Plus, animals can be beloved members of the family and neighborhood.
And be sure to explain that wild animals should never be touched.
Here’s what to do when your tiny tough gal has absolutely no fear of the new and unexpected.
Some kids are just naturally outgoing.
The good news: You don’t have to worry about this kid being excessively shy.
The not-so-good news: you better be extra attentive to keep your daredevil out of harm’s way.
Your aim is to teach your tot about safe behavior, without scaring the daylights out of her.
