One of my children isn’t like the other two, and I’m OK with that. She’s quirky, smart and kind. She has serious phobias and inhibitions, but she doesn’t let them stop her from having fun and she’s always eager to play. She has a wild imagination and loves farming and puzzles. But she’s just that little bit different from her siblings, and, in some ways, from most other kids her age.

Sometimes her differences cause problems, and this breaks my heart a little bit. When she’s home, she rarely gets into trouble. The thing is, she’s so cute, with her bright red curls and squeaky voice, and my husband and I rarely get angry with her.

But when she feels wronged, it can sound like the world is coming to an end. She still has the odd tantrum. She is getting over the night terrors she suffered from previously, but she’s still scared of things like the toilet, or of going upstairs by herself.

I know she gets these fears from me. The way she bites her nails reminds me that I still can’t get through the day without obsessively twirling and twisting my hair

She’s naturally terrified of heights, dogs she doesn’t know and any body of water deeper than her ankles.

As a fellow sufferer of anxiety, my heart goes out to my little girl. I know she gets these fears from me. The way she bites her nails reminds me that I still can’t get through the day without obsessively twirling and twisting my hair.

The brave face she puts on each day reminds me of the times, as a child, when I would do the same – even though I was terrified of going to the school toilets by myself and would sleep with my granny every night because I was so scared of the dark.

I hate seeing her get into trouble because I know she has a beautiful kindness and empathy about her – she says hello to everyone she meets; she loves making new friends.

But, can I be honest? I don’t want her to change. At all

She sometimes has trouble in school and childcare. It’s hard for her, at her age, to explain why she behaves a certain way. I can see it, as her mother, but I can’t be with her all the time and learning how to behave appropriately in these places is something she’s likely going to have to learn the hard way.

But, can I be honest? I don’t want her to change. At all. She is a wonderful child. And places like childcare and school are, sometimes, all about blending in to the crowd. She is unique and special, and she’s sensitive, too. I don’t want the sameness of these institutions – important aspects of life as they are – to crush her creativity or her fierce spirit.

A good friend recently mentioned that she was worried about the children going back to school in September. Not necessarily because of COVID-19, but because, with all the new precautions put in place, teachers will have less time to put emphasis on students as individuals.

She is concerned that the focus will be on the teacher – how is the teacher coping? How are they managing social distancing and sanitation? Are they under too much added pressure? And the children will be left to manage feelings and adapting to new surroundings on their own.

I’m certainly worried about my daughter; who is so excited to go to school in September but who also struggles with an anxiety that she can’t put into words

I know our local school has wonderful teachers and an excellent principal; I’m certain the children won’t be left to deal with their own worries. But, for children who are a bit different, who already have trouble blending in with the status quo, this new situation with COVID-19 may make things more difficult.

I’m certainly worried about my daughter; who is so excited to go to school in September but who also struggles with an anxiety that she can’t put into words, because she doesn’t understand it.

As I mentioned, I struggled with anxiety as a child, but didn’t have an actual panic attack until I was 14 and, even then, wasn’t diagnosed with an anxiety disorder until I was in my early 20s. Until the age of 14, my anxiety was just part of who I was – I didn’t know anything different. My daughter is the same.

She will go in to school and childcare every day with that brave smile and deal with “being a bold girl” until she can put her feelings into words. I will help her as much as I can. I hope I can depend on her school and childcare to understand and try to do the same.