Managing Pandemic Anxiety, Stress-Free TV, Hug a Tree

During a pandemic, there's so much to be stressed about. Dr. Dave Anderson of the Child Mind Institute has some strategies for keeping your anxiety in check—including one that involves eating a sandwich! Plus, some de-stressy family TV suggestions from Polly Conway from Common Sense Media. And then the director of the Icelandic Forest Service Þröstur Eysteinsson shares his tips on using trees to your advantage.

After the show:

• Read our review of The Good Place (age 12+).
• For quirky animated shows that deal with really big stuff, check out Adventure Time (10+) or Steven Universe (10+). 
• For fantasy shows where the natural world gives you superpowers, we love Avatar (13+), Legend of Korra (8+), and Dragon Prince (10+).
• And for older kids who love animated shows, Polly suggests some classics like Bob's Burgers (13+), The Simpsons (12+), andKing of the Hill (13+).
• Read the BBC report "Icelanders urged to hug trees to overcome isolation."

And we want to hear your tips and suggestions! Do you have a special way to deal with anxiety? What are YOU watching with your kids? Send your questions and tips—especially the strange ones—to parenttrapped@commonsense.org, and we might invite you on the show.

Parent Trapped was brought to you by founding sponsor First Republic Bank. To learn more about their services, visit http://firstrepublic.com

.