Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to Prepare Your Child
• Method 2 of 3: Preparing the day before your flight
• Method 3 of 3: Interaction and Treatment

Family vacation should be fun for everyone, but a child's excessive fear of flying can ruin the vacation. People of all ages are afraid of flying, but it is especially difficult for children to overcome anxiety. Fortunately, fear can be overcome with a variety of techniques that do not necessarily involve taking medications. Start planning ahead, be persistent, and be patient. Thanks to this, the flight and the whole journey will be more pleasant for all of you.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to Prepare Your Child

1. 1 Ask your child about his fear. Talking about what scares the child will not increase the fear - this is the first step to overcoming anxiety. Don't interrogate - just try to carefully find out why and what exactly the child is afraid of.
   • Most often, the fear of flying boils down to the following: inability to understand how a heavy aircraft can be in the air; fear of confined spaces and inability to do whatever you want; unsuccessful flights in the past or stories of other people about such flights; news reports of plane crashes, aerial terrorism and unsuccessful flights.
   • To better understand the cause of fear, try to substantiate it and express understanding: "The first time I needed to fly an airplane, I was afraid that it would fall. What do you think about that?" Tell us about your guess based on your observations: "I noticed that you do not like crowded and cramped places, like in the subway. Is that why you do not want to fly on an airplane?" Or just invite your child to talk about the upcoming trip: "Tell me how you feel about the flight that we are about to take."
   • The more details you learn, the easier it will be for you to find the right approach.
2. 2 Tell your child why an airplane can fly. There is a lot of information everywhere about how safe flights are: for example, according to statistics, the most dangerous part of the flight is the road to the airport (it will be useful for you to read this article). However, statistics will not be enough to convince the child. Better explain to your child why the plane can fly.
   • Buy books about airplanes and flying for your child, toy airplanes, and find videos of flying. Look for answers to the child's questions together. Try to collect and check the performance of aircraft models. If you have an aviation museum in town, go see the planes and sit in the cockpit. Let your child ask questions of the museum staff.
3. 3 Show your child how real planes fly. Unfortunately, the times when one could watch takeoff and landing from behind a fence on either side of the airport are over, but almost all airports have places where you can watch airplanes.
   • If your city has an airport or training field, go there. Look for a designated spot to watch airplanes and explain to your child what happens (including inside the airplane) during takeoff and landing. If you can talk to the pilot, so much the better.
   • Due to security restrictions, it is difficult, but not impossible, to see takeoff and landing up close with a child at a major airport.
4. 4 Talk about people whose job makes flying safe. Tell your child that there are several dozen people on each flight whose job it is to ensure that the flight is safe. Talk about the technicians and pilots, and don't forget the ground staff and flight attendants.
   • The large number of procedures that must be completed before the flight at the airport can scare a small child.Explain to your little one what the security personnel are doing and how the equipment they use helps to make flights safe.
5. 5 Remember the importance of gradual desensitization. Anxiety can be dealt with with the help of awareness and understanding of the processes taking place, especially if the child gets used to everything gradually. Each of your actions should help the child understand how planes fly, what happens during the flight. The people on the flight can also take the fear out of a child.
   • Gradual desensitization is a slow process that involves getting used to a stressful situation or circumstance. For example, if a person is afraid of bees, first he can try to read books about them or watch a video; then it will be useful for such a person to go on an excursion to a flower garden or a greenhouse, learn about the role of bees, talk to a beekeeper and observe his work from a safe distance. After that, you can put on a beekeeper costume and get closer to the live bees. If everything works out, in the end this person will be able to be near the bees even without a special suit.
   • Start preparing your child for the flight in advance and take your time. Do not postpone everything to the last and do not rush the child if he has not learned something. If you have to go to the museum or to the airport several times, then this is the way to go. You will know that it was worth it when the time comes to fly.

Method 2 of 3: Preparing the day before your flight

1. 1 Walk with your child through all stages of the flight. When there are only a few days left before the flight, remember with your child all the features of the flight: the type of plane and airport, sounds, boarding the plane and the flight itself. If a child has not flown before and does not know what to expect, he can be very upset.
   • Try to tell your child as much as possible about queues, showing tickets and documents at the control, finding your seat on the plane, and so on. Talk about the sound of the airplane on the ground, the feel of accelerating on the runway and the landing gear lift off. Say all the little things, breaking the process into small parts that will be easy to learn.
2. 2 Overcome your own fear. If you yourself are afraid to fly or are worried about how your child will react to what is happening, the baby will feel your anxiety. But do not try to be brave just for show - in order for the child to calmly endure the flight, you should prepare yourself for the flight in advance.
   • It is best to deal with stress so that you remain calm and able to think clearly and act quickly in unexpected situations. For this reason, you should not resort to special sedatives. Read this article on how to overcome your fear of flying. It can help you overcome fear and help your child cope with emotions.
   • Something that helps you calm down can work for your child as well. Exercise helps manage stress - try brisk walking around the airport. It is easy for children to teach the special techniques of deep breathing (inhalation, holding the breath, exhaling). Meditation and self-awareness exercises are more difficult, but they can also come in handy. It's also important to get a good night's sleep and eat something healthy before your flight.
3. 3 Bring things with you that will distract and calm your child. As with any stressful situation, familiar and familiar things can help the child cope with anxiety - they will keep the child occupied and distract from the thoughts of flying. Now is not the time to take away from the child that which protects him from the outside world. If he has something to take on board the plane, let him take it.
   • Movies, music, books, games, puzzles, and other things can ease anxiety before and during a flight. Play a game during the flight - it will distract both of you. In addition, it will not hurt anyone to get a good night's sleep (preferably without sedatives) during the flight.
4. 4 Tell the flight attendants about the child's fear. Flight attendants know how to reassure passengers who are very worried, including children. They have to do this regularly. Surely one or even several flight attendants will be able to pay special attention to your child - they are well aware that it is easier to prevent a child's tantrum than to calm the child later.
   • Don't apologize for the child in advance. Calmly explain at the beginning of the flight that your child is flying for the first time, that he is interested in everything and that he is nervous.

Method 3 of 3: Interaction and Treatment

1. 1 Find out the nature of the child's anxiety. Fears and worries are difficult to understand, especially when it comes to children. The reasons for anxiety, time, place and way of expressing feelings by a child do not always add up to a whole picture. For example, the fear of flying can be the result of anxiety associated not with airplanes, but with situations that accompany the flight process.
   • If the child's anxiety is general and manifests itself in other situations (for example, at school, when communicating with other people), you should work with it deeper. Talk to your pediatrician or child psychologist about this.
2. 2 Recognize that the fear of flying is real. Don't belittle or ignore it. Choosing to dismiss your child's fears and expect them to simply outgrow them can make the problem worse. Do not tell your child that big boys and girls are not worried about such nonsense - this will make the child even more nervous. Empathize with the child, try to understand him and be ready to help him.
   • Fear does not have to be rational to be considered a real problem. Recognize that the child's fear does exist, even if it is irrational. Do not call fear stupidity - it is better to discuss with your child how you can overcome the fear together.
3. 3 Get help. If your child has been afraid of flying for a long time or very much, seek help from a specialist. Find a therapist or psychologist with experience working with childhood phobias, especially fear of flying. Working with a psychologist will be worth the money spent on it, as it will help the child to get rid of fear and relieve you of anxiety.
   • If your child has very strong fear, discuss this with the pediatrician. If the doctor deems it appropriate, he will prescribe the child special anti-anxiety drugs.
   • However, drugs only temporarily reduce anxious feelings and can increase them. It's like bandaging an unwashed wound. Most often, drugs are resorted to only as a last resort. Try other methods first to desensitize your child to stress.