It can be very difficult to deal with a child dealing with anxiety. The fear, nervousness, and panic that an anxious child may feel can make parents feel as though they are not adequately taking care of their child. If your child displays signs of anxiety such as avoiding situations, the complaint of physical ailments, shyness, and/ or panic attacks, your child may be experiencing anxiety.
Anxiety is difficult but entirely manageable. With the correct parental support, children can learn how to cope with their anxiety in healthy manners. Some things that parents should consider when helping their anxious child are:
· Pay attention to your child’s feelings. Figure out when they begin to feel anxious, what triggers them, how they emote, and how they react.
· Stay calm when your child becomes anxious. Staying calm will help your child to calm down. Making a scene or freaking out will only exacerbate the situation.
· Don’t blame them. Anxiety is not a feeling that individuals, much fewer children, can control.
· Recognize and praise small accomplishments. Anxiety is overwhelming and all consuming state to be in. If they are able to push through that, they should be acknowledged. This positive reinforcement will encourage them greatly.
· Don’t punish mistakes or lack of progress. The road to mental health recovery is not a straight line. There will be many times where your child will regress or stray. This is normal. Continue to support them.
· Remember that your child is scared. Anxiety is not a simple concept to understand, especially because everyone experiences it in different ways. Remember that your child probably doesn’t understand what is going on and that they are doing their best to survive through it. Be gentle with them.
Your child’s anxiety disorder does not equal parental failure. It simply means that your child functions with a mental illness that requires a different kind of support and attention that a child without anxiety may require. Whatever stress your child’s anxiety disorder is putting on you, remember that it is on them too. The only way to get through it is together. If you are in need of anxiety disorder support or counseling, call Mindset First today at 905.660.9284 to book an appointment. Our professional counseling services can provide you and your child the support you need.
