A parent's guide to helping children overcome their fears

Sometimes we don't need to do anything to try to overcome fears. They can be healthy and developmental. Just listen to your child's stories and encourage her to tell you as much as she can. Sharing her worries may bring relief, so don't leap in too quickly with reassurances. It is important, though, to show that adults and children do feel differently about scary things, and that you yourself are not scared of monsters (or whatever it is). What causes children's fears?