Boundaries of Anxiety

I'm learning that good parents do not burden their children with their fears and anxieties.  This is kind of new for me, though I've read stories where the parents didn't tell their kids things, knowing it would only make them upset.

 One of my formative stories was that I, as a 4 year old, got child protective services called on our family.  My mother would retell this story with no regard for how I would perceive my responsibility.   Our neighbor B, K and many others were amazing.  When we moved away for 1 year I had no concept of neighbors you can't trust.  When someone got hurt I went to our new neighbor M who called the police rather than help.

For years I had anxiety that the police would show up and take my children.  I didn't understand until recently that this originated with that childhood trauma.  I wish my mom had told the story differently, or not at all. 

I tell the children my fears too often and I want to stop that.  I have anxiety that if I don't tell them all the dangers they will fall prey to something horrible.  But then they are afraid.  No good.