Monsters Under The Bed

Though it might not seem so at the time, the monster hiding in the closet or under the bed is actually a good thing. This frightening creature that only your child can see is the result of a huge mental step forward into abstract thought.

Unlike being afraid of something that they can see and feel, their minds are now replacing a concrete thing with an imaginary concept. It is a mental skill that they will later use in reading, writing, math, and many other areas as they grow. Watching it blossom now can be amazing.

Because the monsters that leave them screaming for you are abstract fears rather than concrete ones you will have to delve into the abstract world to ease those fears. Concrete suggestions such as checking the closet or turning on the light do not work simply because they are afraid of the concept of a monster rather than an actual one. To ease your preschooler's fears you will have to delve into the abstract world yourself to find a solution.

Empty squirt guns and squirt bottles can be great monster fighting tools, giving your preschooler the ability to frighten away the monsters on his or her own. Special dolls or action figures can also work also, often coming to life in your child's imagination to keep the monsters at bay. Some preschoolers create imaginary friends who exist to fight the monsters at night.

In my house we have monster alarms, much like burglar alarms they ring and notify the monster police should any try to come inside. For some preschoolers the monsters under their bed are abstract concepts they use to express real fears and anxieties. They are expressing something that they might not have the words yet to explain. Sometimes it is difficult for parents to see how frightening a simple event can be, especially so when it can take several days for a child to begin expressing their feelings over it.

A new sibling, moving to a new house, starting a new school may make your preschooler afraid of being left behind or forgotten. That can manifest as the monster who wants to drag them away or tries to turn them invisible. Monsters can also come about from fears of things a preschooler does not understand fully. A dragon in the closet may be the result of a preschooler watching a news story about a fire, a troll may come from hearing parents talk about a child abuser in the neighborhood.

When a sudden case of the monsters starts it can be helpful for parents to think about what events happened recently that could have started the fear. Helping your preschooler work through it may help rid your house of the monsters. Remember that preschoolers do not interpret ordinary events the same as adults.

The growing imagination paired with a budding skill in abstract thought can turn ordinary fears into fierce monsters. Using creativity and imagination to help your preschooler overcome the monsters in their mind. Yet parents should also remember that often the monsters can be representative of a larger fear or concern. Working through whatever may be frightening them can be significant in dealing with the monster fears. As their grasp of abstract thought strengthens the monsters will eventually disappear and new concepts will develop.