Feed Fear a "Not Today" Sandwich...
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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:
I shared a little nugget of wisdom I picked up from a movie, "Try just 20 seconds of NO FEAR and I bet you’ll be amazed at what you can do.”
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.