TO LISTEN TO A CHILD-FEARS IN SMALL CHILDREN

I really have to disagree with a lot of what Brazleton says in this chapter.

Babies only have two natural fears: falling and loud noises. The other types of fears Brazleton mentions I would characterize more as caughtiousness. For example, a four month old baby is instinctually aware of a stranger who seems aggressive because they are approaching the baby trying to act overly silly and friendly. Fears older babies and small children may have regarding new things they are learning about the world around them and new experiences they are having are in large part merely subconscious caution.

The Bible says God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. If we are afraid, we can't think correctly because being afraid of the thing in question takes up most of our thought patterns. If we are cowering at someone or something, then we don't have the power to deal with it, or indeed in many cases the power to act in other areas of our lives where the thing we are afraid of is not concerned.

The Bible also says perfect love casts out fear. If this is so, then we can infer the inverse of this statement is also true: that is, fear casts out perfect love. If we are afraid of someone or something, we can't act toward that person the way God would have us to act. If we are afraid of rejection by someone because we told them about our faith, then we can't fulfill the great commission with that person which the Lord commanded us to do.

It is indeed correct babies and small children learn fears from those fears being prohjected by parents and others around them.

Fear is a spirit from the devil. In order to overcome fear, therefore, we need to rely on Jesus Christ. Thus, if a child is afraid of doing something they've never done before, a parent can say, "Don't be afraid. Jesus is always with you. He loves you and will protect you when you do this thing."

However, this tactic will only truly work with a child if the parent is actually following Jesus. Children can tell if a parent is faking something like this. Therefore, the parent has to have entered into a relationship with the Saviour. (See Acts 2 38)