What if I'm Anxious Too? A Parent Script for Tough Moments
Managing worry in our kids isn't easy, particularly if we're concerned too.
Child psychologist Lawrence Cohen suggests that we reflect calm to our kids when they get upset. That helps them co-regulate, which is basically to use our calm energy to help our kids dial down their own emotions. But what about when we aren't feeling calm?
Dr. Cohen wrote a playbook on parenting kids through anxiety, The Opposite of Worry. In an early chapter, he tells the story of two chickens - one calm, one worried and looking for the "all clear" signal.
(More on the "second chicken" concept here.)
But we, as parents, sometimes feel like the sky is falling too. Here's what Dr. Cohen suggests when feelings of overwhelm, worry, or other Big Emotion gets in the way of reassuring your child:
