Episode 15: When Kids Avoid Because of Fear- How to Build a Bravery Ladder (with age-by-age examples)

✨ Grab the free Back-to-School Worry Toolkit for calm mornings and confident kids! Come hang out with me on Instagram @sacredgroundcoaching for more tools like thisIf your child is avoiding birthday parties, saying they're "sick" before school, or backing out of activities, you're not alone. Avoidance is the nervous system's way of saying, "This feels too big." In this episode, I share the Bravery Ladder—a step-by-step tool that helps kids face fears in small, doable steps so confidence grows. You'll learn: A quick litmus test: Is my child's world expanding or shrinking? How to build a 5–7 rung Bravery Ladder (collaborative, no rigid timeline) How to name the Worry Voice and amplify the Bravery Voice Why repetition (and celebration!) rewires the brain Age-by-age examples: 5-year-old (afraid of dogs): photo → calm video → watch from far away → toss ball → 1-second pet → brief fetch 10-year-old (speaking in class): read to a stuffed animal → one sentence to parent → paragraph to sibling → record & play back → read to a friend → volunteer one paragraph 15-year-old (driving): sit in driver's seat (car off) → turn on & adjust → empty lot → around the block → familiar route → light traffic Try it: Build the ladder together, take one rung at a time, and celebrate every step. Resources Mentioned:  Dr. Tamar Chansky