Helping Kids Feel Safe in a Scary World
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​We live in troubled times; bad news is everywhere.  As parents, grandparents, caregivers, educators, we can take steps to help the little ones in our lives. There are plenty of tips and tricks to handle anxiety, but the best ones involve human connection...

- Take time to cuddle, talk, and play. 
- Turn off the television and all of its bad news. 
- Turn off the cell phone with all of its constant interruptions. 
- We can’t change the world, but we can help each other feel safe right at home.
- Read a book together
- Play a card or board game
- Play Beauty Shop or “shave” with a spoon
- Bake
​- Sing
​- Dance
- Draw on his/her back and let him/her guess what it is
- Play the “Guess What I Am” game
- Color
- Make a silly story, each person adds a sentence on each turn

Whatever it is, just take time to just be fully present.  Kids internalize safety.  This means that time spent connecting with each other will help them feel more confident whether they are with, or away from you.

​Photo credit: Getty Images
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