Anxiety is never convenient

The child's anxiety is never convenient. It's always at a very inconvenient moment. You're always trying to go somewhere, do something, and the natural reaction of a parent is to try to squash it, shut it down, just say, this isn't what we're doing right now. This is not helpful, this is hurtful. But in reality, to get through it quicker, to get through the storm quicker is to turn into it. And I loved what you said, to listen, to learn to listen. Not just in my experience as I've tried to do this. Listen with my body, listen with my eyes, stop what I'm doing, look at my child, get down to their level, listen to what they're experiencing and then ask questions. What is it that you're feeling? Why are you feeling anxious? I think has always been really helpful. And then I love this idea of rephrasing and repeating it back to them, which I don't think is something that is just for a child.