Helping Kids Face Their Fears

Every kid is afraid of something. Sometimes their fears make sense; sometimes their extreme anxiety over every ant that crosses their path can seem a little excessive. But our job isn't to make sure our kids never see ants; our job is to help them learn to navigate those feelings on their own.

In this episode, Amy and Margaret discuss:

• Why kids facing their fears is an appropriate part of their emotional development
• Why just our presence, when they're feeling fear, can be a great support
• How more anxious parents tend to create more fearful children—and what to do about it

Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

• Lior Abramson et. al for Developmental Science: "The effects of parental presence on amygdala and mPFC activation during fear conditioning: An exploratory study"
• Dr. Cara Goodwin for Parenting Translator: "New Study Alert: Your Presence Matters More Than You Think"
• NYU Langone Health: "Proven Strategies for Anxious Parents Who May Pass Their Anxiety on to Their Children"
• Naître et Grandir: "Fear in Children"
• Canadian Paediatric Society: “Helping children deal with their fears”
• Butterfield, Moira: Everybody Feels...Scared!

What Fresh Hell Podcast is going on tour across the Northeast US this fall! Join us for a live version of the podcast and bring all your mom friends. We can’t wait to go back on the road! https://bit.ly/whatfreshhelltour

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