enigma wrote:
> Damsel in dis Dress > wrote in
> news >
>
>>On Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:35:30 -0500, zxcvbob
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>This was totally the owner's fault. According to the story, she
>>>had the dog back on the leash at the time, and had told the girl
>>>that the dog was friendly.
>>
>>You've hit the nail on the head. This poor little girl not only
>>has physical injuries, but has likely suffered emotional trauma
>>that isn't going to go away as quickly as the wound will. If
>>ever.
>
>
> kids are pretty resiliant. my next door neighbor's kid (7 years old)
> was pretty severely bitten on the head & neck last fall by a rescue
> dog his grandparent's had just taken on. he's completely over it
> already. he still loves dogs & even got a new puppy recently.
> IME, kids that become fearful after an event tend to have at least
> one parent that overreacts & then keeps overreacting while bringing
> up the event over & over. kids who are treated kindly but matter-of-
> factly tend to not suffer serious mental anguish.
> lee
>

Back when I was in college, many moons ago, I taught a TOW (terrified of
water) swimming course for young children. I never had a TOW student
who didn't have a TOW parent. Phobias are contagious. I still have
visible fingernail scars on my arms.

My first act was always to banish the parents from the bleachers. I
told them, "There's no way I can convince these kids that I'm NEVER
going to let them drown if you're up there bending the railing into an
S-curve while you're watching. S/he feels your fear. Go have a cup of
coffee. Please."

The second thing I did was teach the kids something gross to deal with
the consequences of accidentally snarfing water. Specifically, the
"farmer's blow" into the strainer. This came complete with instructions
to not do this where "grown-ups" could see. (This is exactly what the
chlorine is for.)

Most properly primed, sputtering kids will, when dragged to the rail and
told, "Look, you're fine, nobody's watching, now BLOW" will do exactly
that and will feel they've gotten away with something to boot.

And the next time you tell them, "Relax, lean back, tilt your chin up,
arch your back, inhale..." they will do exactly that... And find that
the water will hold them up.

It's the same with anything scary. It just takes proper coaching.