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I IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR HALOWEEN?
By Valeria Vilar, MA, BEd, LMHC
When people think of Halloween, they think of pumpkins, bats, costumes and fun, but we need to know that this night also brings up many emotions. For some kids, these costumes and masks mean fun and party, but for others, they represent a reason to be scared. Fear, as any other emotion, is nothing to run from, we need to recognize it, and develop the ability to express it.
I would like to take the opportunity to talk about fears, and ask my readers “Are you and your child ready to trick or treat?”
If your child suffers any kind of fear, it is important for you to help him stay calm, feel safe, and learn to overcome it, do this with intelligence, love and understanding. Children’s fears should not be overrated or underestimated.
Generally, fears appear in children between the ages of 3 and 6. At this age, the child does not fully understand the world around him, and is not able to separate the real from the imaginary. It is in this stage that the child starts to know, and differentiate the existence of characters through books, movies, etc. They even create imaginary friends when they play.
If your child suffers from specially intense fears, the recommendation is to help him identify them and then help him overcome them.
When fears turn into phobias, they can start affecting the child’s development.
Some fears are beneficiary, though, like the fear to cross a street or fall from a swing, or the fear to certain animals. These are fears that teach the child to be more cautious in certain situations. These fears help them, as they help adults, to be in the necessary state of alertness to act with caution.
Let’s find in this celebration the opportunity to teach our children a way to overcome their fears. Let’s live it together with them, and create a nice memory of a good time spent with friends and family. Happy Halloween!

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