Scaredies Away is a great book for elementary school aged children (ages 6 and up) who are struggling with anxiety! It provides an easy to follow story about two boys who are scared of new things, and even daily life tasks. A clear cut and easy strategy is explained in how to take control over the anxious thoughts or trigger and manage it. It’s also very validating to identify with the secondary character who seems cool and with it to be able to share that he also struggles with anxiety. It is also encouraging and relieving to the reader that you may use this strategy multiple times in response to the same situation, and that the anxious thoughts and feelings may return the next time a child is in the same situation.
Scaredies Away also provides exposure to our children so they are better able to identify and gain awareness of their body signals of anxiety, and how to take control over those anxious feelings. By practicing the strategy described in the book, the ultimate goal is to give our kids the ability to identify their anxious response, attribute it to the cause, and identify ways to cope.
This book can be read by parents to children to initiate conversation about anxiety, or by a therapist with a child in a therapeutic session. Validating, reassuring, and empowering!