Anxieties

Set rules or goals - “You have to go to school on time every day even if you are feeling nervous.”

“Let's take a big breath in through our nose, hold it, and blow it out through our mouth.”

Try noticing the things you can see, hear, touch, and smell. Can help focus on the here and now instead of thinking about “what ifs.”

Help your child restructure their thoughts. For monsters, you might say, “Tell your brain, ‘Thank you for making me think about something that might be dangerous. There are dangers in this world, but this is not one of them. I am safe and do not have to worry about any monsters.’”

Teach why - “When you avoid things that make you nervous, you don’t learn what you can do”

Play, exercise, activities - Taking time to play can help children master fears.

Role play - Practice responding to feared situations, building your child’s confidence.

Later, give praise - “You did a great job talking to our new neighbor”

Limit media time - others may appear to be doing better

Change your daily schedule – put your cell phone and computer away

Coming to the rescue - Do not rescue your child or let them avoid the situations that make them nervous

Yelling

Punishment