How to help a child with anxiety
Help your child manage the worry rather than avoid it: take the feeling seriously, stay hopeful but real, and take one small step at a time.
Custom story for Rosy
Rosy starts kindergarten without her best friend, so Ava sends a mystery box to open at her new desk.
Secret of the Scratching Box
Story created for Rosy
The goal isn't to make anxiety go away but to help a child manage it, says psychologist Clark Goldstein of the Child Mind Institute. Avoiding everything that makes a child anxious reinforces the anxiety over the long run. He suggests respecting the feeling without agreeing with it, saying you're confident they'll manage, and asking open questions rather than ones that suggest a worry.
A social story is one way to practice: a short story where your child meets the worry and takes one small step anyway. That's why Tella is built so the story stars your child, with the worry they actually have and the grown-ups who help.
An anxiety social story starring your child
Here's how Rosy's story goes.
Ava is going to a different school, and Rosy's chest feels tight. 
On the first morning, Rosy holds her dad's hand at the big school doors. 
She scratches the black page, and bright colors shine through. 
A new friend joins in, and the classroom doesn't feel scary anymore.
Questions parents ask
- How do I help a child who worries about everything?
- Help them manage the worry rather than make it disappear: take the feeling seriously, say you're confident they'll be okay, and ask open questions about how they feel.
- Can toddlers have anxiety?
- Young children can feel anxious too, and they often can't put it into words, says child psychologist Jayne Bellando of Arkansas Children's. Signs include being more fearful than usual, crying when apart from you, nightmares, and tummy aches or headaches. If worry gets in the way of everyday life, talk with your pediatrician.
- Should I keep my child away from things that make them anxious?
- Not always. Avoiding them reinforces the anxiety over the long run, the Child Mind Institute says, so it suggests helping your child learn to tolerate the worry instead.
- When should I get help for my child's anxiety?
- If worry gets in the way of school, sleep or play, talk with your pediatrician.
- Is there a book for a child with anxiety?
- Tella makes a story instead of a printed book. It stars your child and the worry they actually have, and it's ready the same day on your phone, tablet or TV.
Questions parents ask about Tella
- Is it more screen time?
- You watch it together, and it's about a real day in your child's life. No feed, and every story has an ending.
- Is it safe?
- No photo needed. See what we keep and who sees it.
- Is it really about my child?
- Every scene shows your child and your family, not a name dropped into a template.
- What does it cost?
- Your first story is free. No card needed.
- Why not just ask ChatGPT?
- See how a Tella story compares.
Updated October 30, 2026.
Made by parents for kids.
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