7 Year Old Scared of Being Anywhere In The House on His Own

Money_maker

Her hearing is fine but she is sensitive to certain noises like you say. She's not prone to ear infections fortunately. She hates the vacuum too.

*max*

I could not flush the toilet by myself until I was about 10, I was absolutely petrified of it!

The poor love has an overactive imagination, as do most kids his age. The fear will pass. In the meantime, keep going with him, while explaining exactly what the noises are, what's making them, that there is no such thing as monsters...etc. I would never ask a child to "tough it out", or dismiss their fears; they are very real, and they cannot rationalize them the way adults can. The line between reality and fantasy is very thin at that age, and it's perfectly normal.

Skint_yet_Again

Money_maker wrote: »

Her hearing is fine but she is sensitive to certain noises like you say. She's not prone to ear infections fortunately. She hates the vacuum too.

My son was ok with the vacuum when he was younger - to the point where we bought him a toy one and he would follow behind me !


However he was terrified of extractor fans and hand-dryers - he would not go near them as he thought they would start up unexpectedly and the sound of them would make him cry and nothing I could say would reassure him.


He's a strapping 21 yo now and not scared of anything :cool: :rotfl:

Anoneemoose

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

My son was ok with the vacuum when he was younger - to the point where we bought him a toy one and he would follow behind me !


However he was terrified of extractor fans and hand-dryers - he would not go near them as he thought they would start up unexpectedly and the sound of them would make him cry and nothing I could say would reassure him.


He's a strapping 21 yo now and not scared of anything :cool: :rotfl:

It's funny you should say this, but he is petrified of hand dryers too!

Spendless

I was the same as a kid, but only when it was dark. I was so happy neither of my kids took after me, I never dared mention this to them in case it put the idea into their heads, especially for my youngest! She was fine until we were burgled overnight as we slept on the night of her 11th birthday and it's taken her till this year to overcome the fears she's had since then.

For me, it was the dark I disliked, if the house had been well lit, I think I'd have been fine. Have you tried keeping certain lights on all the time?

System

i was the same when i was a little girl. Mom and Dad always left the landing light on for me and i used to run between the kitchen and the living room because the hall light was never on. When i went to bed, Dad always had to check the wardrobe for me as i was convinced there was something lurking in there. Either that or under the bed.

I grew out of my fear, though i still dont like the dark but not because i'm afraid, i just like to be able to see something.

cazs

I suggest a gradual process. So eg toothbrush time.

Day 1: stand right next to him
Day 2: stand by the door
Day 3: stand at top of stairs or somewhere just in sight
Day 4: go to op of stairs and talk so he knows your're there
Day 5: move down the stairs but still talk
Day 6: down the stairs, talking with short silences
Day 7: same place, longer silences

etc