5 Yr Old Afraid of Intruders

She's old enough to learn about 911. Teach her about when and how to call for help and then roll-play. Unplug the phone and one parent plays 'robber' and the other plays emergency operator. When she feels like she knows what to do and has some control over the situation she will be less afraid.

What is she watching that is making her feel this way???

Take him to Tae Kwon Do. He is feeling helpless. Sunday school too to learn to pray and give his worries to something larger than himself.

I would keep reassuring him. His fears are valid. to say though, I am an adult and those are my worries too.

2 Tim 1:7

Remind her that robbing people is about taking their power, and she is handing it right over. No one has the right to make her scared, and no one has the ability unless she gives it to them. Make her ANGRY and give her CONFIDENCE - in you and in God, and then teach her to be safe. Practice calling 911 (unplug the phone first), take a trip to the local dispatch, show her how to hit the panic button.

Good luck
S.

Let her know the robbers are people, just like you and me, but they made a bad choice. The police have taken care of it now, so she doesn't have to be concerned.
When she is a bit older, you can reinforce the 'be careful' stuff, and for now let her know that you are taking care of him, that she doesn't need to be concerned.
If you are a believer in Jesus, there is even an opportunity there to explain sin nature....that's why God gave her a mom (and dad)to take care of her while she is small.
Hope this helps!

place dial rods flushed to the interior wall of the windows. in other words place the dial rods on top of the windows to prevent them from opening. second, get a bell or barking alarm device placed on each door entry. motion detector light .... then explain to her the good of each item.

Don't know if she's too old for this, but we bought my grandson a ferocious looking stuffed tiger to sleep with. It's his protector!!

D. Kimbriel
Grandma to 2 beautiful boys

The same thing happened to us when my daughter was about 4 years old. We lived in an apartment complex and the apartments put a notice on our door, informing us of recent breakins in our apartments. My son read the letter outloud to my daughter and she freaked out. She became very clingy and would start screaming if she wasnt next to me at night. I just let her sleep with me every night and I held her tight. We would say a prayer to ask God to keep us safe, before we went to bed. It took a few months and eventually she got over it and was able to go back to her own bed.
Good Luck!
K.

Have you tried calling your local police department, and see if they can get a patrolman out to "inspect" your house and give you a good grade of safety.

Have him show your daughter that with the doors and windows locked, the alarm and that robbers are affraid of dogs, you are completely protected.

My husband is a fireman and he does the same thing for families who have a child that is afraid of house fires. Just haveing a profeccional show them how safe she is might help.

(maybe even give her something to say or do when she becomes scared like say out loud "This is my house and God lives here, not fear!" )

Hope things get better for you! Good luck!

Obviously we think more cognitively than a 5 year old, who can still get lost playing "pretend" for hours. So I would deal with the situation on a 5 year old's level.

Try getting a large squirt bottle, making a label for it. I know she can't read but "No Intruder Spray" or something to that effect, and then have her help you spray all the door jams (and windows if need be). If it was me I would water down some Bath & BodyWorks spray or use some Febreeze so it at least smells good while you are spraying:)

A lot of moms would probably disagree in this fable type of behavior to calm your child's nerves. But I'm sure your 5 year old is anxiously awaiting a 6 foot tall rabbit to bring him some chocolate any day now right?

~A.

P.S. I also make "Monster Spray" to spray closets and under the bed if you need to buy some :)

I think it will take some time, in the mean time, make sure he isn't watching any TV that may have a program that would upset him. Show him every evening that all the doors are locked, and the dog is watching too. Say a nite, nite prayer. play soft music, leave his light on if he wants, maybe rread to him until he falls off to sleep. I think with a little time he will settle down, in the mean time hold him, comfort him , assure him you are here and all is o.k.

My niece had the same problem with being afraid of a fire. She would not sleep alone etc. Her parents gave her a fire extinguisher to keep in her room and taught her to use it. She sleeps fine now. She needed to know she could protect herself. Hope this helps!

First of all it's going to take time... Since she's 5 she can understand a lot, talk to her and find out what is so scary to her about the robbers... Then you can explain how you are so safe right now. Did the robbers break in when they weren't home, then say see Robbers like to go to places where there is no one home and take things that don't belong to them... Show her the alarm system and show her that it works that it will let you know if someone is coming in or out when it's one, let the alarm go off and she can hear it... Tell her see, nothing is going to happen without you knowing it. Tell her how her dog is right there to protect her too.. Then tell about the neighborhood patrol, the neighbors that she knows let her talk to them and let them tell her she will be safe. Then put your arms around her and tell her you are her mommy and your job is to protect her and that you will. It will just take some time but she will feel safe soon.

Empower her with God’s word. Here are a couple of verses you can teach her about overcoming fear.

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in [God].

2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Psalm 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

When I pray with my daughter, I personalize the scriptures. For example, I pray, "Help Grace lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone make her dwell in safety." Even at 3, my daughter calls on God when she is afraid.

Praying the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your daughter’s heart and mind. Philippians 4:7