Additional information
by Wendy Cuskey (Author)
Written with the assistance of a mental health professional, Sometimes I'm Afraid is a book for children who are experiencing fear or are acting out in anger that is rooted in fear.
If you have a small child who is angry, fearful or anxious, this book may be just what he or she needs to understand the big feelings and what to do with them.During the pandemic, many of us unwittingly projected fear onto our children. Children are so much more perceptive than most of us believe. They can pick up on our emotions by the slightest change in behavior, voice tone, facial expression and even by the things that we don't do or say. As we begin our exit of this very surreal period in history, we are finding that our children have come out on the other end with remnants of fear, anxiety and an inability to stay focused on the task at hand.
This book speaks to those feelings, not only letting children know that their feelings are validated and that it is okay to feel what they do, but that there are ways to control the resulting behaviors and help themselves feel better.
In this story, Sergio finds himself the odd man out when he is the child in preschool who cries the most, experiences outbursts, and generally separates himself from the other children. With the help of a therapist, Sergio learns about his feelings and how to help himself feel better no matter where he is. Sergio learns about different activities (physical and creative) that help him release the anger from his body. He also learns that breathing exercises can help to calm and focus him.
- Everyone is sometimes afraid ― It's okay to be afraid because we all are sometimes;
- Techniques to help ― This story is full of ways to help you deal with the big feelings as well as ways to control the resulting behaviors;
- Introduces the concept of a therapist ― This story removes any possible stigma associated with a therapist and shows how the therapist was helpful to Sergio (and not scary at all); and
- You're not alone ― By discussing fears that a child may be bottling up inside, we are letting them know that they are not alone in their fears and it's okay to talk about them.
