He’s asking for support
I recently watched a clip of a parent who removed a piece of artwork from her home because her baby was scared of it.
He kept turning to look at it. When she lifted him close, he started trembling.
She saw fear. She responded to fear, as any parent would.
But here’s what’s happening in Early Childhood that most of us don’t realise:
Fear and Curiosity can co-exist.
That repeated action of looking over and over again, wasn’t just fright, it was also fascination.
One signal saying “this is uncomfortable.”
Another going “but what is that?”
We call it healthy risk-taking in child development – hang in there, it’s simpler than it sounds.
A child needs to feel you beside them while the scary thing is still there. Not after it is gone. While it’s still there.
So when she removed the artwork, she solved the discomfort – but missed the opportunity to build resilience.
He was already being brave.
He kept looking back instead of turning away.
He wasn’t asking to be rescued; he was seeking company to explore the unfamiliar.
In removing it, she accidentally sent a message: when something feels scary, we make it disappear.
Different versions of that painting will keep appearing throughout his life.
The goal isn’t to remove the obstacle, it’s to be by his side as he learns to walk past it.
Fear and curiosity arriving together isn’t a problem to solve.
It’s an invitation.
The question is: Are we able to recognise it in time?
If this resonated, share this with a parent who needs to hear it.