One of our greatest concerns is how to protect our children. By allowing toddlers, then preschoolers, then school-aged children to climb on higher-and-higher play structures, they learn how to distinguish between what feels safe and what feels dangerous. He is the author of The Opposite of Worry: The Playful Parenting Approach to Childhood Anxieties and Fears and a ll of his work – with children, parents, couples, and families – has pointed him towards using a playful approach that builds connection through fun, play and empathy.Īs educators and as parents, we know that children need to take social and physical risks in order to build confidence. is a licensed psychologist specializing in play therapy and parenting skills. As such, our annual 4 to 14 Speaker Series event provides a venue in which experts can engage with parents, faculty and other members of our community on topics related to parenting elementary school kids. With this insightful resource of easy-to-implement solutions and strategies, you and your child can experience the opposite of worry, anxiety, and fear and embrace connection, trust, and joy.At Brookwood, we are constantly thinking about how to create spaces and environments in which children can thrive. bring children out of their anxious thoughts and into their bodies by using relaxation, breathing, writing, drawing, and playful roughhousing.tackle their own anxieties so they can stay calm when a child is distressed.find lighthearted ways to release tension in the moment, labeling stressful emotions on a child-friendly scale.promote tolerance of uncertainty and discomfort by finding the balance between outright avoidance and 'white-knuckling' through a fear.teach children the basics of the body's 'security system' alert, alarm, assessment, and all clear.start from a place of warmth, compassion, and understanding.

Offering simple, effective strategies that build connection through fun, play, and empathy, Dr. Cohen, Ph.D., the author of Playful Parenting, provides a special set of tools to handle childhood anxiety. And since anxiety has a mind of its own, logic and reassurance often fail, leaving parents increasingly frustrated about how to help.

Whether it's the monster in the closet or the fear that arises from new social situations, school, or sports, anxiety can be especially challenging and maddening for children. 'The most helpful book on childhood anxiety I have ever read.'-Michael Thompson, Ph.D.

Dr lawrence cohen playful parenting