Through books and stories, children cope more constructively with complex emotions like fear and jealousy or stressful experiences like starting school or moving to a new neighborhood. Children take comfort in knowing they are not alone. Once you locate a particular book at the library or bookstore, read it through before sharing it with your child to determine whether it will help your youngster make sense out of his or her feelings.
Books can form a vital springboard for parent-child discussion.
Ask your librarian for additional suggestions. You might gently introduce your child to the book by saying it is about an experience the main character is having with a certain problem or feeling. Do not make a direct association between your child and the storybook character. In addition, do not force your child to read or listen to a story. Read the book over and over again.