Why Do We Feel Scared?
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore why we feel scared, helping children understand their emotions in a fun way.
About this story
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore why we feel scared, helping children understand their emotions in a fun way.
What you'll learn
- Recognize that fear is a common feeling
- Understand the body's response to fear
- Learn about emotions and how to express them
Owlo! Owlo! I had the scariest dream last night. There was a huge shadow on my wall, and I could not move!
Oh my, that sounds like quite a night, Koko. Come in, come in. Tell me everything.
I woke up and my heart was going so fast. And my tummy felt all weird. It was really, really scary.
I am glad you told me, Koko. You know what? Every single creature feels scared sometimes. Even me.
Wait, really? You get scared too, Owlo?
I do. When I was young, I was terrified of thunderstorms. The big booms made me hide under my wing every time.
That makes me feel a little better. But why do we even feel scared? What is happening inside us?
That is such a wonderful question. Let us go to the science room and find out together.
Here we are. Now, Koko, your brain is working all the time, even when you are asleep.
My brain never takes a break? That sounds really tiring.
It does sound tiring, does it not? But your brain has a very important job. It is always watching out for danger.
Like a little guard inside my head?
Exactly like a guard! When your brain thinks something might be dangerous, it sends a special signal to your whole body.
Is that why my heart was beating so fast?
Yes! Your heart beats faster to send energy to your legs, in case you need to run away quickly.
Oh! So my body was getting ready to run from the shadow?
Precisely. And that tummy feeling you had? That is your body moving energy away from your tummy and sending it to your muscles.
Wow. So my body was actually trying to help me, even though it felt really bad.
That is exactly right, Koko. Fear is your body's way of protecting you. It is actually a very clever system.
But Owlo, the shadow was just my curtain moving. There was no real danger at all.
That happens to everyone. Sometimes our brain sees something new or strange, and it gets worried before it knows the full story.
So my brain was just being a little too careful?
A little too careful, yes. And here is something important. Once you turn on the light and see it is just a curtain, what happens?
I feel better. My heart slows down and everything feels okay again.
That is your brain getting the new information and saying, oh, we are safe. Everything calms back down.
So fear goes away when we know we are safe. That is actually kind of cool.
It is very cool. And there is something else that helps when we feel scared. Can you think of what it might be?
Umm... talking to someone? Like how I talked to you this morning?
That is a perfect answer. Talking to someone you trust, like a parent or a teacher, helps your brain feel safe much faster.
I told Mom about my dream too. She gave me a big hug and I felt so much better right away.
A hug from someone who loves you is one of the most powerful things in the world. Your mom sounds wonderful.
She really is. Okay Owlo, so feeling scared is not bad, it is actually my body helping me?
That is it exactly. Fear is not your enemy. It is your body being a good friend and keeping you safe.
I think I am ready to tell you what I learned today. Can I try?
I would love that, Koko. Go right ahead.
Okay! So, when we feel scared, our brain is acting like a little guard inside our head. It sends signals to our whole body to get ready, just in case there is danger. That is why our heart beats fast and our tummy feels funny. But sometimes our brain gets a little too worried about things that are not actually dangerous, like a curtain shadow. And the best thing to do when we are scared is to check if we are really safe, and talk to someone we trust. Oh, and hugs help a lot too. I am going to ask Mom if we can learn about dreams next, because mine was very strange.
That was a brilliant summary, Koko. And I think learning about dreams is a wonderful idea for next time.
