PARENTING POST
By Sarah Chana Radcliffe
Strong feelings of fear make a child desperate to avoid whatever is causing the anxiety.....
Teach your child not to fear fear - that is, not to be afraid of the feelings produced by fear. Fear releases adrenalin and other chemicals that make us feel impatient, agitated, panicky and otherwise uncomfortable. These sensations aren’t dangerous and they will eventually pass if there is no imminent danger. Tell your youngster: “Look around. Is anything bad happening? If not, just wait for the feelings to pass and go do what you need to do.” (In other words, “feel the fear and do it anyway.”). This lesson helps prevent avoidance and/or incapacitation in the face of frightened feelings, and can help reduce, and/or prevent, chronic anxiety.
Irritability doesn’t really work well for you or for your loved ones...
When you’re patient with yourself, it’s easier to be patient with your loved ones. And when you go easy on everyone, you’ll find that you feel more at ease in general. Try it.
