to think that the correct reaction to your toddler shouting I'm Scared

[electricbarbarella]

is not to tell him to go and play because your on your moblie?

Probably not but it depends on what he was scared of

Was it you enid?

depends if it's your child or not .. I am able to judge very well whether one of my children is actually scared or is using it as a way of getting attention .. and have happily told a child professing to be 'scared' or upset to go play

It really does depent. You can tell whether your child is scared on not by their tone of voice.

And children will go to ridiculous lengths to get their mum's attention when they are on the phone.

Context?

at a soft play, they had just arrived and child ws about 2yo, was very loud and lots of big kids running about, mum took childs shoes off and ushered off to play while on the phone, child then ran back to mum shouting I'm scared and mum kind of tutted and ushered child away agin, said go and play i'm on the phone and didn't even touch child or look at it.

Difficult to judge the situation really.
So I won't.

Hmm, not sure then, without knowing the child.
It could be that every time they go their child says same thing and it was an important call, or it could be that child really was scared of all the big kids.
With my three in that situation I'd have said 'Don't be so silly, go and play you'll be fine' so can't judge.

Depends. It many circumstances the correct reaction to a toddler saying he's scared is to tell him not to be so daft and make a bit of a joke out of it. Sorry if that sounds harsh. But if you say 'oh dear darling how terrible' and give cuddles when they aren't really scared but just want mummy to come and make things easier, they will never learn not to be.

I'd just turn round and say 'ok sweetie let me finish on the phone and I'll come with you' isn't that the correct thing to do?

Not necessarily monkeymonkey.
Mine would then stand around or pull at me to finish on the phone, and get fed up.
If I told them it was fine and not to be so daft, they'd go and play.

dd3 is scared of everything atm

its her new word

'mummy that looks like a wicked witch [makes witch laughing sound] I scared and not like it'

x 3456 per day

Yea I suppose so. feel now

Each child would be different so it's a really hard call to make without being there.
Even mine wouldn't have always reacted the same, especially at 2, quite a fragile age really when it comes to second guessing them.

Actually DS#2 had a 'I'm scared' phase. It was such a shock after the other two who weren't scared of anything. I learned very quickly to gently tease him out of it or just ignore. It is fairly clear when he was really scared...of something serious such as spiders.

Being frightened of spiders is something that children copy. My DS1 used to eat spiders and grubs to terrify some of the girls in primary school.

actually my dd is ow claiming to be scared of spiders although if there is one here she still tries to catch it.
Just wondered really not something mine have ever done, you don't see them for dust when we go somewhere.
She did seem a little cold though, I would always give a quick hug or a pat or smething.

Judge not lest ye be judged

I find this a strange thing to post about. Depends on the child, really.
Mum sounds a bit slack but hey ho

ds gets scared and has to have a hand to hold... but there's no way he would go and play if he was genuinely scared of something (however much I was otherwise occupied with the phone)

but then, I doubt ds would be scared in this situation - it's having the car washed that freaks him out!

swedes - you are right. I am terrified of the little beasties. Hate 'em. But I did my very best to get over it with my DCs. And I was doing OK. I can catch and deal with smallish ones these days and no longer run screaming at the big ones. None of the DCs are bothered by them and neither was DS#2 until evening my DS#1 threw a plastic spider at me to get a reaction and I played along and pretended to be scared. DS#2 screamed hysterically and wouldn't be comforted for ages. I felt so bad And unfortunately the fear seems to have taken root.

I actually thought this post was going to be about me

DS1 is always saying he is scared of something at the mo from his bed to the toilet brush

I generally do an airy response of "Oh you'll be fine nothing to be scared of"

OrmIrian - I'm scared of cats. My DC are similarly scared/mistrustful of cats. The cats know it and single us out to bite us. True.