Every small worry matters You’ve seen it: your three-year-old clings at drop-off, refuses to go down the slide, wakes up with stomachaches before preschool, or insists a parent stay within sight at the playground. It’s tempting to call it a “phase” — and often it is — but anxiety in preschoolers can also be the first sign of a pattern that, left unchecked, may follow a child into school age and beyond. The good news? Gentle, early, practical steps — many you can use today — greatly increase the chance that your child grows confident and secure. Early support matters. Evidence shows that identifying and addressing anxiety early reduces later problems and improves outcomes. ( CDC ) Why this matters now (and why preschoolers can’t “just get over it”) Anxiety in very young children is common. Population data indicate that a meaningful share of children aged 3–7 show diagnosable anxiety or significant anxiety symptoms, and childhood anxiety is one of the most frequently diagnosed ment...