Are your children pulling back from the activities that usually make life joyful? Do you see more nervousness and fear in their daily choices and decisions? Your kiddos’ anxiety is holding them back, keeping them from enjoying the joys of life and people.
There are several ways for parents to help. Along with offering over the counter calming pills, parents can talk to their kids about their feelings, work through their emotions and provide strategies for difficult situations. Don’t hope the turmoil will disappear. Take an active approach, and start talking through it now.
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Why Should You Have a Conversation About Anxiety?
Do you remember your youth? Life gets so confusing and overwhelming. Mistakes happen; you get embarrassed. The world, frankly, feels massive and hard to navigate. Those emotions can take over, limiting interactions and goals. It’s a heavy burden for young ones to bear.
Harder yet, children may not understand what they are experiencing. They bottle up, isolate themselves and bury their worries deep inside. You don’t want your loved ones going through that upheaval.
To navigate through anxiety attacks and emotional overloads, kids need guidance. Youngsters may not know what is happening or believe it’s okay to bring up their distress. Parents can guide them through the turmoil by having open and honest discussions. That’s where you step in.
Teaching Your Child the Importance of Mental Health
When stomach aches and outbursts dominate children’s days, parents may seek ways to ease their little one’s minds. There are many alternatives to anxiety medication, but it requires thoughtful conversations and dialogue to find one that works best.
Open lines of communication begin by sitting down for a heartfelt discussion. Avoid awkwardness, anger and fear, leaning instead with optimism, love and comfort. The following are six ways to approach your kiddos about their uneasiness.
Establish a warm environment where your kids can come to you and share details of their lives. Let them know that anxiety is normal, that people go through it and that they can cope with time and the right strategies.
During your sitdowns, don’t judge. Listen to their worries, acknowledge them and emphasize the troubles. Avoid telling them it’s childish or silly. These fears are true to them.
Discuss symptoms of anxiety, noting even minor ones. Children should recognize the onset of the attack, including a quickening pulse, agitation and stomach cramps. Knowledge allows them to fight earlier before it becomes overwhelming.
Share times you have felt anxious. Allow your children to see that their reactions aren’t abnormal. Review coping methods, such as breathing techniques, talking to others and grounding yourself with items around you. Model appropriate coping mechanisms in your own life. Show how you conquer anxiety, giving them a visual example of success.
Create a game plan. What do you want to work on in the next few weeks or months? What techniques do you think might prove helpful? Show teamwork and support.
Anxiety leads to behavior and mood changes, including impulsivity in adults and children. Curtail the distress by taking measures to talk to your loved ones about their worries and fears.
Also, Read- How to Not Waste the First Year of Your Baby’s Life (It Goes Quickly!)
