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 Some children
will be afraid when they first see a clown.
Some will even suddenly develop a fear of clowns later on.
Both are normal reactions. The
best way to handle the situation is as follows:
RESPECT YOUR
CHILD'S FEELINGS. Do not
force him/her into anything. Let
them stand back and observe. Once
they see that the clown is not threatening and that the other children
are having fun with them, the child will usually warm up to the
situation. Forcing them
will only make them more resistant.
BE PATIENT and
KIND to your child. Too
often I've seen parents berate their child for being afraid, which
creates a more negative situation than what began.
Encourage your child to confront his fears and praise him when he
is brave.
 STAY CALM.
Watch what you say and do. Verbally
anticipating a negative response will reinforce any apprehensions they
may feel, and physically yanking the child away will give the message
that you think that something is really wrong.
Instead, be matter-of-fact about the situation, reassuring the
child that he is ok, and not letting him manipulate you into leaving.
DON'T
"HYPE" THE SITUATION. Building
up the excitement over the clown coming can backfire. Imagination can
cause great anxiety in young children, so allow her to experience new
things as they occur. That way she won't shut out new experiences before
she's seen what's involved.
If the clown is a
true professional, they will give the child their space and let him come
closer in his own time.
How I deal with
these situation is this: both Trixie and Dr. Tilly are "terrified
of people who are afraid of clowns."
The reverse psychology works very well for me most of the time,
mirroring the child's feelings and allowing them to feel powerful over
the clown. Using this
technique, I find that most children will come around fairly quickly,
and even those who've had a long-standing fear of clowns will often
befriend me by the end of the party.
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