76 HAWAII PARENT March/April 2025 One in five kids will have anxiety at some point. Kids who worry aren’t weird or weak. Their anxiety might be a false alarm, but it’s also a good sign that their survival instinct is working well. Make a Young Child’s Anxiety Come to Life At first glance, this seems like an idea that could backfire. But it’s one of the best strategies I’ve found for young kids. Use a doll or stuffed animal (or simply make up a character) to personify your child’s anxiety. When your child gets stressed out, have them pretend that the stuffed animal is stressed. Then have them talk the doll out of being worried. This strategy is recommended by GoZen, a non-profit that offers tools and training for anxious kids. They use a stuffed character called “Widdler the Worrier,” to teach kids about anxiety. GoZen explains that being able to separate worries from themselves physically can help a lot of kids out. Read Books or Watch Shows About their Worries Stressed out kids can’t always put their worries into words. But they can identify their fears when they read about them. Reading books can also help kids put their fears into perspective. Try: • David and the Worry Beast, by Anne Marie Guanci • Wilma Jean the Worry Machine, by Julia Cook • Cool Cats, Calm Kids, by Mary Williams Or look for books specific to what they’re stressed out about. If your child is worried about a new sibling, consider Will there Be a Lap for Me? by Dorothy Corey or the “Meet the New Baby” episode of Daniel Tiger’s neighborhood. When To Worry about Worrying Many kids have fears and worries. Most of the time, kids and their families can get through this stress on their own. But sometimes more help is needed. “Stress and worry are normal for younger kids.”
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