When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids, Gewirtz Abigail

Its an understatement to say we live in an age of anxiety. Political polarization, school shootings, income inequality, climate issues, sexual harassment, and more--whether its on the news or hitting closer to home, its impossible to tune out. Problem is, most children cant put these issues in perspective, and parents, often anxious themselves, can have a hard time talking to their kids without making it worse. Dr. Abigail Gewirtz, a child psychologist and leading expert on families under stress, now offers a clear and truly practical guide to having the kind of tough conversations with your kids that really help. But its not just how to talk to your kids, its also what to say: The heart of the book is a series of conversation scripts, with actual dialogue, talking points, prompts, and insightful asides, each tailored for different ages and centered around different issues. She shows how to let the child lead. How to not make the problem worse by saying more than a child needs to know. How to check in with yourself to make sure your own anxiety doesnt color the conversation.

Along the way are tips about staying calm in an anxious world; the different ways children react to stress, and how parents can read the signs; and how parents can make sure they stay on the same page (stress often causes a rift between parents--Dr. Abi gives advice for dealing with this together).