#189. Child Anxiety: How Dads Can Help When Kids Struggle

Is your child's anxiety showing up as anger, stomachaches, avoidance, or withdrawal, while you're responding as if it's simply bad behavior?

When a child says, "I'm scared to go to school," the instinct to say, "There's nothing to be scared of" can leave the child feeling misunderstood. In this episode, Drew Solon explains how dads can recognize persistent signs of anxiety, connect before correcting, and support a child without immediately trying to remove every uncomfortable situation.

Listeners will gain:

A clearer way to spot anxiety beneath changes in behavior, sleep, school, friendships, and physical complaints. The "listen, label, lead" approach for helping a child feel heard and take a manageable next step. Guidance on avoiding dismissive responses, knowing when professional support is needed, and staying present without trying to fix everything. Play the episode to learn how ten minutes of focused, no-agenda connection can help your child feel noticed, supported, and safer sharing difficult emotions.

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The Connected Dad course helps you listen, label, empathize, and create the emotional safety your child needs when they're struggling. Start building a stronger connection today.  https://dadcentral.ca/connected-dad-course/

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Timestamps:

00:00 How dismissing a child's fear can make them feel misunderstood 01:49 Why childhood anxiety and mental health matter to dads 03:52 Signs that a child may be struggling with anxiety 06:46 Connect before you correct 08:04 The three L's: listen, label, and lead 10:06 Five unhelpful dad responses 14:34 When to seek professional support 17:36 What an anxious child needs from dad 18:48 A 10-minute connection challenge for dads 19:34 Key takeaways for supporting an anxious child 20:50 The Connected Dad course resource -----

"Dad Central is a podcast that supports fathers in navigating fatherhood, reducing stress, building confidence, managing parenting stress, and improving parenting skills, including discipline, co-parenting, custody issues, calm parenting, and effective communication with children, to foster happy children and strong parent-child relationships."