Common fears for children of primary school age Common fears include fear of the dark, burglary, war, death, separation or divorce of their parents, and supernatural beings (such as ghosts and monsters). Suggestions for helping your child include: Let your child know that you take their fears seriously.
Common phobias include fear of animals, insects, blood, heights, closed spaces, or flying. In children and adolescents, the identified fear must last at least six months to be considered a phobia rather than a transient fear.
Children also develop and express typical fears during the preschool period—of the dark, of strangers, of monsters, of going to the doctor, of dogs or other animals, and more. As children get older and can use more logical thinking skills, these fears can fade.
According to Forbes Magazine, the number one fear for the average person is that of public speaking. The second fear is death...
Babies and toddlers often fear loud noises, heights, strangers and separation. Preschoolers might start to show fear of being on their own and of the dark. School-age children might be afraid of supernatural things (like ghosts), social situations, failure, criticism, tests and physical harm or threat.
Children (age 5-7) have developed more active imaginations. They often are scared of bad dreams, disappointing parents/teachers, and getting sick or hurt. This is often when kids begin to worry about monsters in their closets or under their beds.
People with pedophobia develop an irrational fear of babies and small children. The word pedophobia stems from “paida,” the Greek word for children. “Phobos” is the Greek word for fear. Someone who has pedophobia may take extreme measures to avoid being around small children.
7 to 8 years – Common fears include being left alone and can lead to wanting company, even if they are playing by themself. They may talk about death and worry about things that could harm them, for example, car accidents to plane crashes.
Kids might be afraid of doing poorly on an upcoming test, music recital, or sports event. Or that they won't be able to get into college or find a job. They may be anxious about the outcome of a family situation, like a parent's job loss. You can help your child manage fear.
The reason for such fear is due to peer pressure, focusing on the outcome rather than concentrating on the learning. It even damages the mental and emotional state. Sometimes the fear overpowers the students in such a manner that they even commit drastic measures.
Preteens and teens may have social fears.
They might feel anxious about homework, grades, and doing well in school. They may focus on how they look or worry about whether they will fit in, be judged, or be bullied.
The Hierarchy of Fears
In a 2022 poll, similar findings emerged. A fear of snakes, heights, spiders, and public speaking rounded out the top four. I suspect many readers know the terror of unwanted, directed attention.
The three most common areas of worry involved School, Health, and Personal Harm.
Health problems or becoming sick • Being smaller or much larger than other children. Being left out of a group, not getting along well with teachers, not being good enough at sports. Personal harm from other children, family or others. Separation from the family.
What's Fear Anyway? Fear is a feeling that everyone has — it's programmed into all of us — and that's a good thing because fear is there to protect us. We're born with a sense of fear so we can react to something that could be dangerous.
Young toddlers (especially shy, cautious kids) often fear loud sounds like thunder, firecrackers, or barking dogs. Around age three, fear of “bad men,” monsters, and witches often develop. One reason fears pop up at this age is because of a 3-year-old's new ability: comparing.
Most fears are a normal, natural part of childhood. However, if a child is afraid all the time, or has fears that stop them from having fun or interfere with their daily life, this could be a sign of anxiety and it may be time to get some professional help.
According to All About Cats, agoraphobia is Australia and the world's most common phobia, with 61.67 per cent of people identifying it as. Agoraphobia is a social phobia commonly understood as the fear of public spaces and crowds.
(Note: There are five core fears, or “universal themes of loss,” that capture the basic interpretations of danger that we all make. They are 1) fear of abandonment, 2) loss of identity, 3) loss of meaning, 4) loss of purpose and 5) fear of death, including the fear of sickness and pain.)