Mom's Excessive Worry and a Poor Sport for 04/08/2017

Dear Family Coach: This is probably going to sound weird. My children are 5 and 7. They're happy, healthy and well-adjusted, but I'm always afraid they're about to die. I check their breathing several times per night. Sometimes I even call the school office to make sure they're OK. I hate being this way, but I can't help it. What is there to do? — Scared Mom

Dear Scared: What you are describing is anxiety that you are directing at the health and safety of your children. Just like a hypochondriac fears every little ache is a terminal illness, you ascribe major risk to your children's everyday lives. Yes, it is true that some children die from SIDS or a car accident. However, the majority of children are kept safe using commonsense precautions.

Updated: Sat Apr 08, 2017