People of all ages can experience anxiety, including children. If your child has been struggling with anxiety lately, you might be worried about their wellbeing. Maybe you deal with anxiety too, and you’re wondering if the strategies you use to address anxiety as an adult will help your child.
On the other hand, perhaps you rarely deal with anxiety, and you don’t have much personal experience to draw from to guide your child through these tough emotions.
Childhood anxiety is normal, and it does not mean that your child will necessarily struggle with a clinical anxiety disorder later in life. Additionally, there are plenty of practical ways that parents can help their children cope with anxiety.
Here are a few tips that you can apply so that your child can overcome their stress and anxiety.
1. Listen to Your Child’s Concerns
First, it’s important to listen closely when your child opens up about their anxiety. As an adult, you might realize that some of their fears are unrealistic, but dismissing their concerns entirely can leave your child feeling unsupported. Instead, let your child know that no matter what they’re worried about, you want to hear what’s on their mind.
Listen carefully and respond with empathy. When reassuring your child, you can simultaneously respect their point of view while soothing their worries. For instance, if they are worried about a school assignment, you can suggest a few things that might make them feel more confident, like studying together. You can acknowledge their fears while reminding them that you are always there to help.
2. Work on Basic Anxiety Relief Techniques
Children can benefit from many of the same techniques to reduce anxiety that adults often use in their daily lives. You may want to spend a few minutes each day meditating with your child, or practice deep breathing with them when they are feeling stressed.
Additionally, there are some simple tactics that your child can use to calm down when you’re not there. For example, you can suggest counting slowly to distract themselves momentarily from their stress.
Additionally, you may have noticed that some of your child’s habits are exacerbating their anxiety. For example, if your child’s anxiety is worse when they’re getting excessive screen time, you may want to set some new rules regarding this habit.
3. Discourage Short-Term Avoidance
When your child is anxious about a particular situation, they might do their best to avoid it. However, short-term avoidance is not an effective way to alleviate anxiety in the long run. Instead, gently encourage your child to face stressful situations. You can stay by their side throughout the process.
If you’re addressing avoidant behaviors, being too forceful can backfire. Instead, think in terms of “baby steps.” Talk to your child about what they can expect for a given situation, and how you’ll help them deal with any worries that might crop up.
4. Discuss Realistic Expectations for Different Situations
Sometimes, children feel deeply anxious about certain situations because they are scared of the consequences of failure. Remind your child that failure is simply part of the learning process. If they are worried they will make a mistake, talk to them about what would happen, and chances are, the “consequences” are fairly minimal.
As one example, if your child is nervous about making a mistake in a sports game, or on a test, let them know that they will not be in trouble for it, and they can always try again.
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Are you concerned about your child’s anxiety symptoms? It may be time to reach out to a therapist. Connect with us to find out more about our child counseling services.