Helping our children overcome their fears

Miguel, our 2 year old, was afraid to use the toilet in the Masters bathroom and so with the use of pretend play I helped him over come the fear.

I got 3 bottles of mouthwash, 3 bars of soap and pretended they were two families. I gave each one a voice and one after the other each 'member' of the family 'went to the toilet' in order to 'take a leak' and

each member of the family would repeat and say that it was fun to use the toilet. After which the toilet was flushed and there was 'laughter and cheers' from 'other family members'.

All the while, Miguel was watching. The little bottle of mouthwash was the 'baby' of the mouthwash family while the smallest bar of soap was the baby of the soap family and both babies said 'even if I am a baby, I am brave' and the two babies went on to take a leak as well.

After all the members of the 'two families' had used the toilet, Miguel comes up to me and says, 'I will also make wiwi Daddy' and went on to do so saying 'I am also brave Daddy'. Pretend play helped him overcome his fear!