I worried a lot as a kid. Things like killer bees and the TV catching on fire would keep me up all night. It reached a high point when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I was falling asleep in class because I had been up all night thinking about horrible things that “might” happen. I would try and talk to my mother about it and she would just make things worse by telling me I was being ridiculous. I needed to be told that the killer bees where far, far away and I would never have to worry about them in my life time. Perhaps that wasn’t the whole truth, but it is what I needed to hear at that time. She could have appeased me by turning the TV off for a little while.
Parents are the protectors, the people that make things alright. If your child comes to you with a concern or something that is bothering them, no matter how silly it may be to you, talk to them on their level and give them reasons to calm them. My child was very anxious about tornados, I told her we watch the TV when weather is bad, I know when to go to the basement….”But….what if the house gets blown away?” We have insurance and can build another one. “But… what about all our stuff?” Honey, it’s just stuff, we will be all right. The “but’s” went on, and I just had to reassure her that we had a plan and a backup plan and that everything would be OK in the end.
As a parent, part of your job is to be a superhero. You have a cape that no one but your children can see. Do your part, and keep their world safe and fun.
