“Mrs. Anderson, may I go see the nurse?” Funny how the same kids ask to see the nurse all the time. Tummy ache, head ache, a tiny scab that needs attention. Me—and everyone else on the school staff—soon learn which kids  turn anxiety into a desperate quest to get out of class. Even though I’m often reminded at school that many kids are in tough situations, I still tend to think of childhood as a blissful time of fun and few responsibilities. What do they have to worry about?

The reality is that today, many kids have stress-induced tummy aches and much more—depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and even ideas of suicide. Child Mind Institute reports in School Psychology Today that 1 in 8 children suffer from an anxiety disorder, and the median age of the onset of such a disorder is just six years old. School, bullying, family situations, testing, social media, and more generate a large amount of stress for some kids.

All people feel anxious at times or deal with fear. Toddlers may suffer from separation anxiety, preschoolers are often afraid of the dark, older kids can be desperately afraid of not fitting in, and adults might feel true anxiety over flying surgery, or even the current political climate! We all want peace and hope for a better future.

How can we help our kids—and ourselves—deal with anxiety? Kids who seem profoundly impacted by stress and anxiety may need to see their school counselor or other professional. But for most of us, C.S. Lewis has some good advice. He wrote in Screwtape Letters that God would want us to be “continually concerned either with eternity (which means being concerned with Him) or with the Present. . . obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure.”

This is Good News, because right now, at this present moment, the Bible assures me that I belong to Him: John 1:12 says I’m a child of God. No matter what I’m facing, the Psalmist promises me safe refuge under God’s wings (Psalm 91:4). Today, I don’t need to worry unduly about the future, because God says he knows the plans he has for me, and that they are plans to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Finally, no matter what is going on in the world at this moment, Jesus promises me peace in him. Jesus tells me, “Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

I hope these assurances help you—and your kids—sleep better tonight. For bedtime stories that might help a worried or fearful child know that they’re not alone, try Wemberly Worried (Kevin Henkes), Scaredy Squirrel (Melanie Watt), Thunder Cake (Patricia Polacco), and Sometimes I’m Anxious (Poppy O’Neill). Also, a non-fiction book like If I Could Ask God Anything: Awesome Bible Answers for Curious Kids by Kathryn Slattery, might reassure kids simply by learning more about their amazing God.

A young reader of my novel, Sophie’s Quest, wrote to me a few months ago to tell me that the story gave her “so much more confidence.” I didn’t write it with that goal in mind, but it made me so happy! The more I thought about it, the more it made sense–a major theme is that our awesome God seeks us and is with us, and that we can trust Him.

That gives me more confidence, too!

By the way, many thanks to my niece, Annika, for posing for this picture for this post!