September 2026 - UPower Presentations

Kids Afraid to Try

Your child is not going to excel at everything – and that’s okay.

Kids can think they need to be good at something before they’re willing to try. If they can’t be sure they’ll succeed, they may decide it’s better not to try at all.

I was reminded of this when my son had the opportunity to do track. He didn’t really want to do it. When I asked why, he told me he didn’t think he would be good at it He was worried that if he didn’t do well, people would think less of him or make fun of him

He hadn’t even started, and he was already worried about the outcome.

This is where emotional resilience comes in. He could feel like he wasn’t going to be good at it. He could feel worried and nervous about what people might think. He could feel uncomfortable not knowing how it would turn out. None of those feelings meant he couldn’t still choose to try.

Kids afraid to try may be worried about failing, being judged or not being good enough. What matters is helping your kids understand that difficult emotions don’t have to decide what they do next.

This is what I know: Your kids don’t have to be the best. They may feel nervous that they won’t succeed. However, they can still focus on learning, trying and giving their best effort instead of worrying about getting it perfect.

Until next time…

3 Sep 2026

Before You Say “Don’t Worry”

Helping kids with anxiety starts with letting them know it’s okay to feel nervous or anxious.

Instead of trying to make those feelings go away, give them tools to work through them.

Here’s how you can help:

1. Connect before you redirect.

Find out what’s worrying them. Maybe they’re thinking:

“What if my friends aren’t in my class?”

“What if I don’t like my teacher?”

Share a time when you felt nervous or anxious.

2. Help them create a different story.

Ask: “What if you were being brave? What happens?”

Help them imagine what could go right, not just what could go wrong.

3. Have them come up with something to tell themselves.

“I’ve got this!”

“I’m going to have fun!”

“I love new adventures!”

“I’m enough.”

This is what I know: They can’t always choose how they feel, but you can help them find the courage to move forward.

Until next time…