Does your child wrestle with fearful or anxious feelings? If so, they’re not alone! Anxiety is common. In fact, it’s one of the most frequent mental health issues children face.
Surveys show that in 2021, 30-40% of kids grappled with feelings of anxiousness. And as parents, it’s essential we know how to support them.
Here are some signs of anxiety in children to look out for:
Do any of the signs above sound familiar? If so, we want to help! Here are a few tips on coaching your child through anxious feelings.
How to Help Kids with Anxiety
Tip #1: Relax their environment
Anxiety is a powerful emotion, and kids who grapple with it can easily get overwhelmed. One of the best things you can do when your child is feeling anxious is to reduce sensory stimulation, activity commitments, and pressure on their performance.
Tip #2: Help them name their worries & fears
When children have a good understanding of their feelings, they’re better able to cope with them. And that’s backed by research! In 2003, a study found that kids who could label their emotions in first grade had fewer anxiety symptoms four years down the road.
So, how does labeling emotions work? When kids name their feelings, it reduces the physiological stress response and shame attached to them. It also normalizes the human experience and helps them develop a healthy EQ.
Tip #3: Coach them to be brave
The only way to overcome fear is to face it. If we consistently run away from what makes us anxious, our anxiety only grows.
Support your child in confronting their fears, but make sure to move at a pace that feels comfortable and remind them – “You can do hard things.”
Tip #4: Reach out for support
Is your child struggling? If so, we’re here to help! With everything from therapy to in-home caregiver support and even therapeutic mentoring, we provide services tailored to the unique needs of each child we serve designed to empower families in treatment.
Give us a call at 406-245-6539 or contact us online to learn more about getting your child support through any of our 31 locations across Montana.
Want more?
Check out the rest of our blog, and follow us on social media. You can find us on LinkedIn at Youth Dynamics of Montana, Instagram @youthdynamicsmt, and Facebook at Youth Dynamics of Montana & People of Youth Dynamics.
