Toddlers

Young children do not have an understanding of size, space and time, so they may, for example, be afraid of going down the plughole (or toilet) with the water, or get upset when you leave because they don't understand what you mean when you say you will be back at 5 o'clock.

You may have to do things like bath your child in a bowl without a plughole for a while. Toddlers, especially 2 to 3 year olds, are often fearful. They have very powerful emotions, which they have not yet learned to control. Something new can be very frightening, even if we think that there is no risk to them.

Some toddlers try very hard to please their parents, and they can be very frightened if something goes wrong. They can also be fearful of other people's powerful emotions. A parent's anger or despair can be very frightening to them. It will help if you can look at what is happening in their lives and their relationships to find what might be making them feel strongly, and help them to talk about it. Let them know that it is OK to feel cross sometimes. Make sure they know that you will not let them hurt others, such as a new baby, or let anyone hurt them.

One of the ways toddlers deal with their fears – eg. at bedtime – is to want to keep the same routine all the time. They may want a drink in the same glass, the same story and the same number of kisses every night. This helps them feel safe.