A Five Point Checklist for Managing Anxiety in Children
1. Slow Down
We live lives that are very rushed. How many times in a day do you hear yourself say 'quickly, quickly' to your children? We are always in a hurry. There is so much to be done and it all needs to be done instantly. This creates anxiety in ourselves as well as anxiety in our children. This is one of the reasons we have so many anxious children. Life has become very stressful
It's not just the pressue we are under and our children identifying with it. Our children themselves are stressed too. There are constant assessments at school. They constantly need to perform. The pressure is huge.
2. Give Your Children Time
3. Reduce Unnecessary Pressure
As parents, it is up to us to help our children to reduce unnecessary pressure. Sometimes this can be done be getting our children to draw out plans / timetables for themselves:
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Study Timetable / Plans
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Extra Mural Plans
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Who is Fetching Me from School Plans
Which plans have you put in place with your children to assist them in reducing pressure, expectations and anxiety?
It is important that you help your children with this as it is so much more difficult to see things objectively when you are in the midst of things. Make sure your children know that you are coming alongside them in support and not to do things for them. Our children need to know that we believe in them and in their abilities.
4. Don't Over Commit Your Children
Overcommitted children experience more pressure and time constraints and this often leads to increased anxiety.
We have to be so careful about over-committing our children, or allowing them to over-commit themselves.
Sometimes we over-commit our children because we are working long hours and we want to ensure that they are stimulated and busy. So, perhaps we do it with the right intention, but our children need time just to be. To be able to relax in their own space, without having to perform or compete.
If your child is over-comitting themselves, please chat with them and let them choose which activities they want to do ensuring that they need to have one afternoon a week free from any prescribed activity. It is fine if they get bored, as boredom once a week will hopefully drive their creativity. This will allow them to develop a sense of who they are and what they enjoy doing, without them being in competition with anyone else.
5. Create A 'Worry Plan'
My feelngs all 'boxed up'
Learn More About Managing Anxiety
Thank you for accessing our free information on managing anxiety in children. To learn more about reducing anxiety, please sign up for my course on Reducing Anxiety in Children in Three Easy Steps.
If you would like more support, please feel free to join me for small group sessions where we will discuss strategies and techniques for parenting our anxious children more effectively.
