When a child is anxious, overwhelmed, angry, embarrassed, or afraid, most parents want to help. We want children to know that their feelings are important and that they do not have to navigate difficult experiences alone.

When a child is anxious, most adults instinctively move into problem-solving mode. The urge is to fix it, reduce it, or protect the child from the discomfort. That instinct makes sense, and it comes from care! At the same time, anxiety rarely responds well to being rushed or pushed away. In many cases, the more pressure there is to make it stop, the more it tends to hold on.