Feed Fear a "Not Today" Sandwich
Can we talk about FEAR for a sec? Not the "oh no, I forgot to defrost dinner" kind of fear (though that's real too!). I'm talking about the heart-pounding, palm-sweating fears our kiddos face - and how we, as moms, navigate those choppy waters.
This reminds me of a time when my oldest son had a battle with a BIG pool slide.
Picture this: My 6-year-old son, standing at the foot of a pool slide that might as well have been Mount Everest in his eyes. For 30 minutes (felt like 30 years in mom-time), he'd approach, back away, dry his tears, and try again. Climbing a bit higher each time. Finally on the hundredth try, he reached the top, only to climb back down, crying in frustration at himself.
My heart was doing gymnastics watching him struggle.
Sound familiar? I bet you've had your own version of this story with your little one, or maybe even yourself. Maybe it was the first day of school, or a dentist visit, or that big scary dog next door.
The Magic Words that worked:
"20 seconds of no fear and it’s amazing what can happen," I told him. Just a little nugget of wisdom I picked up (okay, I stole it from a movie). But it worked like magic! He zoomed up those steps so focused on counting he forgot to be scared.
That summer? That slide became his best friend. Each time down, his smile grew bigger. And me? I was bursting with pride like a mama hen who'd just watched her chick fly for the first time.
The Ripple Effect of "20 Seconds of No Fear"
Unfortunately, our children’s fears just get bigger and uglier as they grow. This is why it's crucial to equip them with tools to face these challenges head-on.
Because I've seen firsthand how overcoming small fears has shaped my son into someone who can confront bigger fears with determination and confidence, I’d be remiss not to share our “20 Seconds of No Fear” challenge with you.
Today’s simple tip to share:
We can teach our kiddos to overcome fear with a lot of patience and a little creative encouragement. The next time fear raises its ugly head share the "20 seconds of NO FEAR" challenge with your little one.
“God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
I'd love to hear your stories. What fears have your little ones conquered? Or what mom-fears have you faced? Share on this blog post - that advice you think is simple could be exactly what another parent needs to hear today.
*Looking for a fun way to talk about bravery with your kids? See how Edward the Egg faces his fears (spoiler: it involves a lot of cracking and taping back together), and his adventures might just crack you up... but they’ll also give you some egg-cellent conversation starters with your little chicks.