Sounds exactly like my DD who is 9!!!!!!!!! She has even packed up all her stuffed animals in case there is a fire, so that she won't lose them, or packed them all up for fear of a tornado coming! She too, is exhausting and I spend much time "talking her off the ledge" as I call it. She has ALWAYS been very intense. She is a little easier to rationalize with now that she is older, but she still worries about crazy things. Don't think the packing the bag happened years ago, this was when she was 8! I do find that the worries are always worse at night, at bedtime. I also find that talking harshly only escalates it. I have explained to her that she tends to be bothered by things that most people aren't, and that's okay, but that these are things that are most likely not ever going to happen (again, same thing, have to prove that it won't.) I explained that while I can't say it would never happen, the likely hood of it happening is extremely small. Had to say it's never happened to Mom, Dad, G.ma, g.pa or anyone I knew so she most likely has NOTHING to worry about. This whole thing started from a conversation about what would happen if there was a fire and the dog was in the house, would we save it. I made the mistake of saying we had to get all the people out first and she lost it saying she would risk her life for her dog etc. I have learned that this is just the way my child operates and that I have to help her learn to cope and how to handle those strong feelings.
