To help school-age children cope with fears, what is recommended?

To help school-age children cope with fears, what is recommended?

• A. Discuss the fears individually or as a group.
• B. Hide fears to avoid teasing.
• C. Ignore the fears.
• D. Deny the fears.

Answer: (A)

Discussing fears openly with school-age children helps them name what’s worrying, hear that others may share similar worries, and learn practical ways to cope. In this age group, fears about safety, separation, performance, or everyday changes are common, and a supportive setting—whether one-on-one with a trusted adult or in a small group—normalizes those feelings. By talking through the fears, caregivers and teachers can validate the child’s emotions, reduce stigma, and model coping strategies such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and stepwise problem-solving. This approach also makes it easier to identify when fears are affecting functioning and to provide appropriate support. Hiding fears tends to keep the worry inside and can heighten anxiety, while ignoring or denying fears signals that emotions aren’t important and prevents the child from learning how to manage them.

Discussing fears openly with school-age children helps them name what’s worrying, hear that others may share similar worries, and learn practical ways to cope. In this age group, fears about safety, separation, performance, or everyday changes are common, and a supportive setting—whether one-on-one with a trusted adult or in a small group—normalizes those feelings. By talking through the fears, caregivers and teachers can validate the child’s emotions, reduce stigma, and model coping strategies such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and stepwise problem-solving. This approach also makes it easier to identify when fears are affecting functioning and to provide appropriate support.

Hiding fears tends to keep the worry inside and can heighten anxiety, while ignoring or denying fears signals that emotions aren’t important and prevents the child from learning how to manage them.