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2 days ago · 10. Try to model healthy ways of handling anxiety. There are multiple ways you can help kids handle anxiety by letting them see how you cope with anxiety yourself. Kids are perceptive, and they’re going to take it in if you keep complaining on the phone to a friend that you can’t handle the stress or the anxiety.
If you think your child is showing signs of anxiety, you’ll want to learn more about what they’re thinking and feeling. For younger kids, it can be helpful to use words like “being worried” or “scared” that will be more meaningful to them and are more likely to garner useful information about what’s bothering them.
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- Don’t try to eliminate anxiety. Do try to help a child manage it. The best way to help kids overcome anxiety is to help them learn to tolerate it as well as they can.
- Don’t avoid things just because they make a child anxious. Helping children avoid the things they are afraid of will make them feel better in the short term, but it reinforces the anxiety over the long run.
- Express positive — but realistic — expectations. Don’t promise a child that what they fear won’t happen — that you know they won’t fail the test — but do express confidence that they’ll be able to manage whatever happens.
- Respect their feelings, but don’t empower them. Validating feelings doesn’t mean agreeing with them. So if a child is terrified about going to the doctor, do listen and be empathetic, but encourage them to feel that they can face their fears.
2 days ago · As you learn to tolerate stress, you will in turn be teaching your child — who takes cues from your behavior — how to cope with situations of uncertainty or doubt. “A big part of treatment for children with anxiety,” explains Laura Kirmayer, PhD, a clinical psychologist, “is actually teaching parents stress tolerance.
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- Identify Triggers.
- Validate and Empathize.
- Challenge Unhelpful Thinking.
- Practice Deep breathing.
- Break Down tasks.
- Role-Play.
- Build Overall confidence.
A helpful first step is for you and your children to become aware of and recognize what causes them to feel intense anxiety. Once those triggers are identified, you can implement many of the tips below.
Children's thoughts, emotions and experiences are real to them. No matter how you think or feel about their experiences, it is important for your children to feel heard, validated and understood. Empathize with your children, imagine what it is like to be in their shoes, and recognize and affirm that their thoughts, feelings and experiences are val...
Ask your children to talk you through the thoughts they are experiencing that are unhelpful and causing them distress, such as "I am going to fail my test and then fail my class." Once you know what thoughts your children are telling themselves, you can work with them to identify more realistic, helpful thoughts. Ask questions to get them thinking ...
Deep belly breathing is a tool to help calm down, refocus and think clearer. It increases oxygen levels in the bloodstream and decreases heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension and stress level. Instruct your children to place their hands on their belly and chest. Tell them the goal is to take deep breaths with their bellies, which will lead to ...
Break down tasks into smaller steps so the overall process feels less daunting. For younger children, have random rewards throughout the process to positively reinforce their behavior. For older children, provide positive praise and encourage them to reward themselves.
If your children are worried about specific situations, role-play those feared situations to help them prepare. Examples could include ordering at a restaurant, buying a movie ticket, asking a teacher for help or inviting friends over.
Have your children perform tasks around the house to contribute to the family and build confidence. Offer your children opportunities to face challenges. It is important to praise their efforts and focus less on results. If they get stuck, ask your children about skills they used to overcome similar obstacles in the past.
Sep 29, 2024 · Help your child develop coping strategies to manage anxiety. Coping strategies that can help kids calm down when they are feeling anxious include the following: Deep breathing: Encourage your child to take deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Visualization: Help your child to imagine a peaceful place or a positive outcome that can ...
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Aug 21, 2024 · Tip 2: Be a positive role model for your child. Your child looks up to you and needs your guidance in showing them how to manage stress and anxiety. The way you deal with frustration and express anger is a prime example. Try to remain calm and patient as possible when dealing with problems and challenging situations.
