Whenever our children are hurting…our immediate reaction is to remove the hurt….fear….or whatever is getting in the way. Anxiety is no different…the temptation to remove our children from that feeling of anxiety is strong…..but here is the problem….AVOIDING anxiety or whatever is causing it teaches them that the only way to feel safe is to AVOID. This makes sense in the moment…but it can really be doing them an injustice,,,,,we also don’t want to go the other way….and MEET their anxiety by telling them there’s nothing to worry about. They won’t believe it anyway. The option is to ride the wave with them. Breathe, be still, and stay in the moment so they can find their way there too. This is hard – an anxious brain will haul them into the future and try to pair them with a lot of ‘what-ifs’ – which can really fuel the anxiety. It is important to let your child know immediately that you get it…. that you see them…., and that you know they can do this. They won’t believe it immediately….but that’s OK…the brain learns from experience…. so the more they are BRAVE and learn to tolerate the feeling of the anxiety…. the more they are brave!!!
***A book for kids about anxiety is ”Hey Warrior”~~ this book looks at “being brave” and learning to tolerate the feeling of anxiety and understanding why anxiety feels the way it does, and where the physical symptoms come from. It is a powerful step in turning anxiety around. Anxiety explained, kids empowered! For ages 5-12 (and up!).
Still need assistance? Call Suzanne @ 973-658-7767
