Kids should be Encouraged to Face the Fears

posted on Feb 27, 2019

“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.”- Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company.

Being shy and introvert is not necessarily a negative trait to have as a child. In fact, according to child psychologists, children who are quiet and shy are often more empathic, sensitive, and caring. We have got countless famous innovators and leaders who have been self-confessed introverts, such as, J.K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, and Bill Gates, to name a few. However, being shy and introvert did not stop them from aiming at the stars and being the go-getters that they are. One of the foremost things that they did differently from others is to face their fears and emerge victoriously, and that is exactly the idea that we, at Gurukul The School, want to instill in our children.

We understand that for a child who is growing up and gradually learning the ways of the world, any new surroundings, situation, initiative, or activity can be scary enough to feel apprehensive and anxious. However, it is necessary that we help them take that leap of faith and just go for it, to ensure that they do not miss out on so many wonderful opportunities that life has to offer. Here’s why we believe it is crucial to encourage kids to face their fears:

Imperative for that much-needed boost to confidence

Children who are encouraged and motivated to face their fears develop a sense of competence and confidence in their abilities. Once they can take that first step and accomplish the task successfully, it is the confidence that they garner, which they can draw upon when faced with a similar or even more difficult situations later.

Ensure more positive experiences

It goes without saying that when an individual is ready to face his or her fears and confront the hurdles in the path of life without running away from them, only then he/she gains the strength to garner and enjoy the many positive experiences that life has in store to offer. It is important to make the child understand that facing the fears is like moving pastan obstacle in life and making oneself ready for better things to come.

Act as the first step to winning in life

It goes without saying that facing fears is the first step towards winning in various aspects of life. We, as their mentors, and you, as their parents, need to instill the idea in their minds that right from their academics to sports and extracurricular activities, if they do not give it a try, they will never know the exhilarating and joyous feeling of being a winner.

The best way to encourage kids to face their fears

One of the simplest ways that we believe parents can adopt is to lead by example and help the child to follow suite. For instance, when your child is too scared to even venture near dogs, bring him along, and pat your neighbor’s dog to show him that it is okay to do so. This way, you will definitely find your child taking the baby steps towards fighting his/her fears and will surely emerge as a winner.

Besides, as parents, it is also important for you to let your children take small steps towards the task at hand, and not expect it all to be accomplished at one go. For example, when a child is scared of sleeping alone in his/her room and insists on sleeping with the parents, the first thing that you can do is to let your kid sleep on the sofa or another bed in your room. The idea is to break the main goal into small, doable steps that your child can adapt to more easily.

We, at Gurukul the School, one among the Top Five Schools in Ghaziabad, know how much children look forward to getting appreciated and praised by parents, and thus, we always ask the parents to focus more on their accomplishments rather than their picking at their flaws. Once they are rewarded for their actions and steps, they will be self-motivated to do better than before each time they need to face their fears.

At Gurukul, we believe fear, anxiety, and apprehension are natural for all individuals and what matters the most is the way one handles it, learns from it, and moves on in life as that is what makes a person truly mature and worldly wise. Our children are just taking their initial steps in this world, and when they have our support and motivation with them, they will surely grow up to become the determined and courageous individuals we all can be proud of.