Written by Alex Gervash, commercial pilot (31 years) and fear of flying specialist (18 years, 16,000+ cases treated)
Should you hide your fear from your children? No. Here's why - and what to say instead.
Should you hide your fear from your children?
No. Here's why.
When you try to hide your fear, you accidentally teach your kids two harmful lessons:
Fear is bad and shameful
People can't be trusted (because kids SENSE you're afraid but you're pretending you're not)
The result? Your child loses emotional trust in you and learns that certain feelings should be hidden.
The better approach? Be honest.
"You know, sweetheart, everyone has some fears and it's perfectly normal. Scary doesn't always mean dangerous, so it's totally okay to feel any emotion, including fear. It will pass and it's harmless."
This teaches your child:
All emotions are normal
Fear doesn't equal danger
You can be trusted
They can be honest about their feelings too
Your authenticity gives them permission to feel. And that's one of the greatest gifts you can give.
In Short
Should you hide your fear from your children? No. Here's why - and what to say instead.
Trained in psychology and trauma therapy (EMDR, Somatic Experiencing)
Founder of phobia.aero & SkyGuru App
Drawing on 31 years of commercial aviation safety experience, Alex Gervash provides a unique pilot perspective to help families and children overcome fear of flying. As a specialist trained in psychology and trauma therapy, Alex utilizes somatic experiencing and nervous system regulation to offer a comprehensive flight fear treatment that goes beyond basic turbulence explained. Having guided over 16,000 individuals through aerophobia therapy and reached 200,000+ users via his SkyGuru app for real-time in-flight support, his evidence-based methods at phobia.aero are industry-leading. Whether addressing childhood flight anxiety or complex adult triggers, his work ensures that passengers of all ages can manage their physiology and enjoy the skies.
