Are you looking for ways to help your anxious child? Your child might be worried about specific things like school work or conflict with friends. Younger kids might experience separation anxiety. Older kids have vague unsettled feelings about bad things that might happen. Anxiety shows up as disrupted sleep, dissolving in tears when faced with a challenge, clingy behaviour, isolation and feeling sick in the tummy.
What can you do to help?
1 Be a supportive parent
Listen to your child’s worries, with a view to understanding them. It’s easy to brush off their concerns, but giving them your time and attention will be reassuring. Be a safe place for your kids, no matter how old they are.
2 Be self-aware
Seeing your child in distress might bring up some strong feelings in you. When parents feel helpless, they can become impatient or cross. Try not to lose your temper when your child is still awake at 11pm because they are worried, or they are withdrawn and shy in company. How your child feels isn’t a reflection on you. You may need to address your own expectations.
3 Help your child recognise and identify their cues
Teach your child to recognise the feelings of safety and threat in their own bodies. Our bodies are smart and tell us important information. The earlier your child can work out what is going on, the quicker they can implement some strategies to help. Early intervention is key.
4 Work together to make a plan
This is particularly important for teenagers. Do more of what makes them feel safe and less of what makes them feel worried, if it’s reasonable. For example, staying home in bed is a strategy, but it’s not a good long-term plan. If that’s the only thing your child can think of that feels secure and non-threatening, get some help to identify actions that will increase feelings of security and confidence.
5 Learn some techniques that reduce anxiety
This could be mindfulness activities for kids or empowerment exercises. These tools can help your child learn to say what they feel, how to put up a boundary or when to ask for help. There are a myriad of other techniques which can be learned and practiced at home in a non-anxious environment.
Anxiety happens to everyone at some time in their lives. It can be overwhelming for kids and young people However, there are lots of ways to help your anxious child.
