Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by gevvy from AL. gevvy Wonders, “how do we get scared?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, gevvy!
Do they fascinate you or freak you out? If seeing them tends to make you jumpy, you might be the kind of person who spooks easily!
If you are, don't worry. Everyone is afraid of something. In fact, most of us are afraid of many different types of things.
There are so many fears out there in the world that our language has evolved over the years to account for the multitude of reactions people have to their fears. Do you get frightened? Alarmed? Scared? Terrified? Startled? Unnerved? Petrified?
Here are some other interesting words and phrases we use from time to time to describe our reactions to things we fear:
- scared stiff
- scare the living daylights out of
- make your hair stand on end
- make your blood run cold
- throw into a panic
- jump out of your skin
- gives you goosebumps
Have you ever had times when one or more of those phrases applied to you? That's OK. We've all been there at one time or another.
Besides Halloween ghosts and goblins, what sorts of things make you scared? Storms? Pop quizzes? Oral book reports in front of the class? A bully in the hallway? The pressure of a big game?
Even if you're a brave soul, you probably fear certain things every now and then. Whether it's snakes and bugs or heights and roller coasters, we all have certain things that make us feel uncomfortable or afraid.
Here are some of the things that kids list as their top fears:
- Scary television shows and movies
- Nightmares and bad dreams
- Bad weather, including thunderstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes
- Terrorism and war
- Unidentified sounds in the night
Fear isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes fears keep us safe and healthy. A fear of snakes, for example, can keep you from getting bitten by a venomous snake. A fear of a painful cavity might inspire you to take better care of your teeth.
For some people, a little fear can even be fun. Watching scary movies and riding roller coasters can get our blood pumping in ways that makes us feel good…even if we are scared out of our wits for a brief time!
If you're tired of feeling afraid in certain situations, here are a few things you can do to try to conquer certain fears:
- Remove yourself from the situation! Go do something else to take your mind off of whatever is bothering you.
- Talk with a parent or a friend. Sometimes an encouraging word is all you need to feel better!
- Learn more about whatever you fear. Sometimes fears are based upon not knowing enough about something. Once you learn about it, you often realize there's nothing to fear!
What spooks you? Talk with a friend or family member about why it scares you. Often, talking about fears helps us feel much better!