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Children & the Scary Sights & Sounds of Halloween
By J Gardener
As autumn approaches, the signs of Halloween are everywhere. Nowadays, by
late August, merchants are already gearing up for one of the most lucrative
retailing seasons of the whole year. And, it's no longer just about kids
trick-or-treating on one night in late October-Halloween is now an occasion
whose celebration spans weeks and generations, with parties, "haunted house"
attractions, and fairs, full of all kinds of scary scenes.
For adults, it's easy to forget, sometimes, that the whole theme of the
Halloween phenomenon is built around real fright. Young children, though, can
get the point, all too clearly. Ghosts and goblins, witches and
monsters-terrifying in every aspect-are broadcast at them nonstop for the whole
season. And many younger children don't have fun, being frightened.
So, how should you deal with your children's fear?
Most experts agree, the most important thing you can do as a parent is
acknowledge the fact that your child is afraid. Disregarding or downplaying that
fear will teach your child that she has real feelings she shouldn't discuss with
you, because you don't consider them legitimate.
Encourage her to talk about her Halloween fears, and take the opportunity to
discuss your own childhood fears. Remind her of the things she was once afraid
of, but isn't, anymore; she learned to master those fears. Discuss the things
which frightened you, at that age. Perhaps together, you can develop a strategy
for dealing with these current fears.
On the other hand, you needn't be overly protective of your child. We all
have things we're afraid of, you can tell her-even grownups-and most of the
time, we're perfectly safe. Fear, especially fear of things we don't understand,
is a natural part of life.
At the same time, don't force your child into frightful situations, just to
teach her a lesson. Remember, she counts on you for protection as well as love,
and that trust, once broken, is hard to win back.
Your town probably has Halloween events for families which place an emphasis
on the fun part of the holiday-the costumes and the candy, the games and the
comraderie. This can be a great way to assimilate her into the traditions of
Halloween, enjoyed by lots of her friends.
Best of all, let her know that all the "scary" stuff is just meant for fun.
Underneath all the masks and the sheets are just regular folks, playing around.
Let her "scare" you, with a costume or a painted face-turn it into a game and
take turns, "scaring" each other. Before long, you'll both be laughing too hard
to be frightened, anymore.
Fear is a real emotion for young children. Dealing with it can be a real
opportunity for families to grow together, emotionally. And once the fear factor
of Halloween is conquered, it's a holiday that can develop long-lasting family
traditions, and lifelong-happy-memories.
About the Author This article was brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. For a safe and fun place online for your children this holiday season visit the official Santa Claus Web Site.
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