It's no surprise that superhero characters from TV shows and movies are so appealing to children. Children are small. There are all kinds of big and powerful things in their world over which they have no control. In order to overcome their fear of being little in a large, scary world, children often pretend they are big and strong, and that they have superhuman powers. In fact, in the face of very difficult circumstances, everybody probably wishes once in a while that he or she had superhuman ways of dealing with problems.

"Good Guy" -- "Bad Guy Play"

Sometimes superhero play can also be about "good guys" versus "bad guys." All children have times when they want to do "bad things" (things they've been told they must not do), and they realize they have to learn control themselves. When children control the "bad guys" in their play, by pretending to kill them or lock them in jail, they are probably working on developing their own inside controls for times when they feel like doing bad things -- and need to stop.

What's Pretend and What's Real

At the same time, it's important to let your child know that the superhero fighting on television and movies may look quite real, but it's only pretend. During this week of programs, Mister Rogers shows children how makeup, fake props, stunt men, and television technology could make it look as though superhuman things were actually happening -- things that could never happen in real life.

Most important of all, you need to let your child know that while he or she might enjoy pretending about being "superstrong"..."superfast"... and "superbig", it's real people who do all the important things in the world...and as they grow, they will develop into what's really super about them.

Here are some ways families have helped children with their fascination with powerful things:

• Visit a construction site to let children see powerful construction equipment. Some children can watch that work for long periods of time. You could photograph the site on different days to help your child see the progress.
• Look through photo albums and talk about how much your child has grown since he or she was a baby. That can help children feel proud of how much bigger and more powerful they are now.
• Talk about things that scared you when you were a child and how you've overcome that fear. Does your child remember fears that he or she has conquered? What has helped?

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