Anxiety Aid: A Guide For Parents

Anxiety gets the better of anyone, regardless of their age. So imagine what it’s like when your child has it. Caring for a child that has anxiety issues or issues with confidence appears to be on the rise now, as there are children seeking counselling even though they are under the age of 10! It’s a completely different world out there now, and as parents, we need to be ready to help our children when they need us the most. And it’s so important to have an open mind when it comes to this because it’s so easy to be dismissive of a child’s problem because they are “too young” to understand things like depression. Or their eating habits are dismissed as fussy when they actually have an eating disorder. So what can we do to help our children?

Listen To Them

The first step is often the most difficult. Actively listening to our children when they have something to say will build that important bridge, and it will show your child that you have their best interests at heart. As parents, we can spend so much time telling them to not pick up that expensive item or to sit down quietly, that we can often seem ignorant of their needs when they actually need us to pay attention. Asking simple, yet open questions, such as “how are you feeling” will encourage a detailed response. Especially in the circumstance that they don’t feel at all well, you can make contact with a pediatrician or get professional help. If we don’t listen to our children, how can we help them when they really need us?

Plan For The Worst Case Scenario

If your child has to give a presentation, ask them “what is the worst possible thing that could happen?” Will they forget their notes? If so, can they have cheat sheets to hand? Imagining the worst possible outcome will increase their sense of perspective on the situation. As it’s something they have never done, it is the fear of the unknown, and that is something that we all fear. So once they understand the scenario, it’s easier to rationalize it.  

Celebrate The Successes

Anxiety can come from the littlest of issues, and it’s important to remember to see it from their perspective, not how you view a situation. It is all too common for us to think that something isn’t a big deal, like a school report, but remember how you felt at the time! It was probably the worst thing in the world. Even now, speaking in front of people makes me quiver, and the feelings are no doubt amplified because they don’t have the benefit of hindsight yet. So when your child has done something like a piano recital or sat that exam that they’ve been freaking out about, it’s a big deal for them, so celebrate it accordingly. In doing this, you are helping to reinforce to your child that they’ve done something really difficult and overcome an obstacle.