You determine who is sick enough to stay home from school. You're the one who checks the locks at night, puts out the lights and makes sure there aren't any monsters under the bed. Still, as adults, our own sense of well-being is often challenged. Or are lost. We move away from extended family and friends.
Marriages go through hard times.
Many end in divorce. One way to help children feel that they are indeed being cared for and protected is to establish a sense of ritual, a pattern of constancy. Children like to know what's expected, what comes next. Two stories at bedtime. One drink of water.