The difference between normal fears and phobias is the severity and persistence of the fear. With normal fears, children can overcome them with encouragement and some simple assurances from parents and caregivers. A quick check of their closet for goblins is all they need to help them get to sleep, for example. With phobias, the specific fear is so extreme that your children will have severe anxiety just from thinking about it. It’s a lasting dread and terror. Children with phobias will do everything they can to avoid their phobia’s specific object or situation.