For some young children, half of their lives have been spent in quarantine — living through the pandemic.As COVID-19 restrictions are slowly loosening, many families are finding their children get anxious leaving the house.Dr. Matthew Saia says there are some things you can bring with you to make it less stressful on your toddler, like a security blanket or favorite stuffed animal that can provide comfort for many children who aren’t used to leaving the house.Doctors say it is important that younger children are getting outside during this time and being exposed to other people to form socializing skills. They say parents can also play a key role in influencing how their child reacts when leaving the house.“If parents are nervous then children can feel nervous and stressed, too, and that can make temper tantrums happen more often and separation anxiety a little worse,” explained Saia.He says it’s up to the caregiver to set the example and remain calm as you’re going out to places where you haven’t been in a while.