Everyday Parenting Tips

Everyday Parenting Tips

By Simon(ˈsīmən) Rich

We’ve all been there. The teeth are brushed(brəSHt), the p.j.’s are on, and the blankie(ˈblaNGkē) is in place. You’re tiptoeing(ˈtipˌtō) out of the nursery(ˈnərs(ə)rē), when suddenly you hear, “Mommy, Mommy, there’s a monster under my bed!” You sigh. Looks like that new episode(ˈepəˌsōd) of “The Bachelorette(ˌbaCH(ə)ləˈret)” is going to have to wait. :( Lucky for you, our experts are up to the challenge!

Is it normal for my child to be afraid of monsters? Yes. If anything, it’s evidence of a healthy imagination.

How do I convince(kənˈvins) my child there’s no such thing as monsters? Be patient(ˈpāSHənt). By five, your child should understand that the monsters she’s afraid of are not real.

What if the monsters she’s afraid of are real? Unfortunately, this is becoming more common in the aftermath(ˈaftərˌmaTH) of the Great Monster Uprising(ˈəpˌrīziNG) that occurred earlier this year. Ever since the creatures descended(dəˈsend) from the Dark Place, their presence(ˈprezəns) on Earth has become an unavoidable(ˌənəˈvoidəbəl) aspect of our daily lives. If your child is afraid of an actual, real-life monster, such as Gorgog the Annihilator(əˈnīəˌlādər) or Ctharga the Eater of Souls(sōl), explain to her that, although those monsters are obviously real, the likelihood(ˈlīklēˌho͝od) of them attacking(əˈtak) her is only moderate(ˈmäd(ə)rət).

Should I restrict(rəˈstrikt) my child’s media access? Most parents agree it’s wise to shield(SHēld) kids from scary(ˈske(ə)rē) content. But experts warn that it may be futile(ˈfyo͞odl, ˈfyo͞odīl) to try to stop them from seeing monsters altogether. After all, they are on page 1 of the Times every day, usually striking(ˈstrīkiNG) a menacing(ˈmenəsiNG) pose(pōz). Short answer: try your best.

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https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/05/25/everyday-parenting-tips