In her first book, professor and researcher Gewirtz tackles what every parent is currently wondering: how to talk to their children about the things in life we cannot control. She begins by asking parents to look closely at how they manage their emotions as this in turn affects the way children handle their own. She teaches parents how to be effective "emotional coaches" by practicing emotion regulation and identification, active listening, problem solving, and limit setting. Finally, Gewirtz describes how conversations with our children are the "best antidote" to a stressful and sometimes scary world. With this in mind the final chapters give examples of both planned and unplanned conversations to have with children about violence, natural disasters and climate change, technology, social justice, societal divisions, and the current coronavirus pandemic. Teaching children how to identify and respond to emotions from toddler to teenage years is a fundamental part of parenting. When the World Feels Like a Scary Place is a much-needed resource to help families navigate anxiety in an uncertain world.