Childhood Fears vs. Adult Fears

By Shu Rin, 06 November 2017 2001

Children are known for having fears that may seem irrational to adults – but remember, it wasn't that long ago when we were kids with such fears! While these "fears" won't necessarily apply to everyone, you may find that you relate to at least some of them. And now that we've outgrown most of our childhood fears (read till the end to find out why we say "most"), you may realise that some of them are similar and have evolved into the worries we have now.


Childhood Fear: Monsters under our beds 
Adult Fear: Monsters in our midst




Thanks to storybooks, television, stories from friends and schools and more, some of us used to be terrified of having monsters under our beds! Now that we've (hopefully) outgrown this fear, we worry about monsters in our midst – think the crimes around us, cutthroat politics, office politics and so on. Fortunately, that's another hurdle of life that can be overcome, if we do ourselves right in managing the toxic people in our lives.


Childhood Fear: No one cares about me
Adult Fear: I'm unable to care for my loved ones




As children, love, acceptance and a sense of belonging was what delighted us. Today, it still does. However, we are more concerned about caring for our loved ones, for instance, our aging parents, children and for new parents, their bundles of joy. And then we fret, "how can we take care of so many people, when sometimes we can't even take care of ourselves?", “What if something happens to me? I don’t know if my loved ones will be okay”. We may never be able to make up for the void in the lives of our loved ones, but we can ensure that they are well taken care of by planning ahead – Life Insurance can provide financial security for you and your family in the event of death, disability and certain critical illnesses. This will allow you to still provide for your loved ones should you encounter an unfortunate event. 


Childhood Fear: Bad dreams
Adult Fear: Unfulfilled dreams

 

When we were kids, bad dreams frightened us – some of us woke up crying in the middle of the night, and our parents would cuddle and comfort us back to sleep. Today, as adults, we no longer fear the dreams in our sleep. Instead we fear the unfulfilled dreams we have for ourselves. What if we fail, or what if we lose what we have now? Don't let the fear of these unknowns stop you from pursuing your dreams. Chart your goals and milestones and work towards your dreams. Having some savings for rainy days can definitely ease your fear of losing what you have now, and be more ready to chase after your lifelong dream – You can easily start saving with an endowment plan, so that as you tread into uncharted waters, you can have peace of mind knowing that you have savings set aside.


Childhood Fear: Trip to the doctor's
Adult Fear: Hefty medical bills



Remember the trips to the doctor's where some of us might be bawling our eyes out? Now, we're still afraid of doctors, but we're more fearful about the bill, especially if it’s a visit to the Emergency Room! Rising medical fees are no laughing matter, and having something unforeseen happens to you can take a significant toll on our finances. So, it's understandable to be anxious over medical bills. However, you can alleviate those fears by protecting yourself with health insurance that can give you the assurance that these bills are taken care of, just in case.


Childhood Fear: Unrequited love
Adult fear: Uncertain future




Ah, young love. Remember the days we'd talk to our best friends about crushes who didn't seem to like us back? But that's part of parcel of life, we all got over it eventually, didn't we? Today, as adults, we worry about so much more. Settling down with the love of our life for example, is a worry, because as exciting as this new phase of life is, it's also scary. There are more bills to pay, a wedding to plan, buying a home, saving up for children, planning for the future and more. However, likewise with most worries, these can be allayed, with the right planning. For example, there are insurance plans to cover most stages of life, and planning ahead for such protection can give you more assurance, so that you can enjoy the joys of life you have worked so hard to build to the fullest. Here’s a useful infographic on how you can start planning for every stage in life. 


Childhood Fear: Failing exams
Adult Fear: Failing expectations




"I failed my exam what should I do" is a rather common query on Google – we've all been there (but it sure isn't our favourite school-going memory!). Remember the trepidation of getting your marked exam script back and seeing the dreaded red mark? It might have seemed like your world was crashing down on you, but now that you're all grown up, you realise that exam grades don't dictate who you are, or how successful you are. Today, we fear about failing expectations. We might feel like we have to live up to certain expectations we feel the society expects of us, whether it's having the right job, a good education, a nice car, a home or a grand wedding; We are expected to be good in everything; it’s a failure to be average, we need to get a degree, we need to value traditions but we also need to break the norms. Some days we feel like we are set up to fail even before we begin. But we don’t always have to stress over living up to others’ expectations, or being successful in everything we do. Sometimes, we need to let go of things beyond our control, so that we can be happier and more content with life. Other times, we just a little advice to guide us on our paths. For example, if you feel lost about life’s uncertainties or financial planning, one way to get a good advice would be to speak to a financial adviser.  


Childhood Fear: Empty pockets at the end of the week
Adult Fear: Inadequate funds for a comfortable retirement




We used to worry about having our pocket money run out on Fridays. Now, we worry about not having enough for our golden years. But like all of our other "fears" – this can be overcome, or at least reduced if we make prudent choices in life. Retirement plans such as RevoRetire, easily available online, can help you save and make your money grow, letting you design your desired retirement lifestyle with a monthly payout, while giving you additional peace of mind with medical coverage.


Childhood Fear: Flying Cockroaches
Adult Fear: Flying Cockroaches


Because some things never change.

While some fears cannot be totally avoided, you can help yourself fear less, with proper planning and professional assistance. Speak to one of our financial advisers today to find out more. 

This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

loading