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Everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, experiences anxieties and fears at one time or another. Feeling anxious in a particularly uncomfortable situation never feels very good. However, with children, such feelings are not only normal, they're also necessary. Experiencing and dealing with anxieties can prepare young people to handle the unsettling experiences and challenging situations of life.v

As parents we must have done something right. None of our children seem to have any problems with how their bodies look. Body image issues are a large component of teenage angst and can cause depression, anxiety or worse yet make you believe Joan Rivers and the women from Mob Wives look better with plastic surgery. Of course I could be giving us too much credit as parents...

Our younger son is very afraid of the dark. In fact, his anxiety is so great, he insists on being carried into the house whenever we come home at night. The lack of street lighting in our neighborhood doesn't help...neither does the fact that our kid's going through another growth spurt and is definitely not a lightweight these days. We also tend to forget to turn on the outside light, especially when we leave the house earlier in the day when the sun is still shining. This is a particular sore point with our son, especially since the darkness makes it tough to see the keyhole on the front door and get us in the house quickly.

Many of you may know about our beloved pooch Pepper from PoodlePicks. It may surprise you to know that he has been, by far, the most challenging dog we've ever had. At almost eight years old, he still suffers from separation anxiety. We've never had to baby-proof our house with the kids, but to this day, we do have to Pepper-proof. Before we leave the house, we have to go through the routine of closing every door, completely cleaning off the dining room table, locking the pantry and strategically putting up gates to block off the kitchen and the stairs. Heaven forbid we accidentally skip anything...we will undoubtedly come home with garbage all over the kitchen (he figured out how to open the can), empty bags of baking chocolates strewn across the floor (he breaks into the pantry and zooms right in on them), or even smelly feces on the stairs. Of course, he only does these things when we're not home...when we are, he's a perfect angel. So tell us...who's trained who here? This situation is completely our fault, of course. When Pepper was a puppy, we were told that we should purchase a dog crate for him. But where on earth would we put a large, ugly and obtrusive wire crate in our small home?

Fortunately, preparing for a second child can be as rewarding and special as the first time. Helping your older child understand what to expect can lessen anxiety for both of you, and being aware of the changes involved in having a second child is the best way to prepare for this joyous event.