Supporting My Anxious Child

I realize my child may need some extra support…so now what?! 

Unlike a physical ailment that can immediately see healing/progress following the recommended treatment, mental health improvements are observed with TIME and continuous EFFORT (often substantial amounts of time!) 

Does this sound daunting? Sure can.

Can it create feelings of overwhelm? Absolutely.

Will it demand a bit of time and trust? Yes. 

But there are simple strategies to support mental health in the daily and more “mundane” parts of the day.

So what can this look like in daily practice?

❤️ Show care and love- make a special snack together, take an extra 5 minutes in the bedtime routine to acknowledge your favorite quality of the child, etc.

😴 Build in rest time- Ironically, schedules can find themselves very busy as the “daily grind” is often felt by children and parents alike. Include “low energy” activities in the day, such as coloring, playa dough, sensory bags, etc.

🧠 Display patience- although we want to build cooperation in children, its important to realize that a child’s brain does take a second to process, which can be drastically impacted by other stimuli, thus, giving an extra moment MAY prevent the situation from quickly getting out of hand.

🏃🏽‍♂️Use of basic relaxation skills- look for opportunities to use basic relaxation techniques “on the go” such as lemon squeezes or deep breathing!

🗣 Engage in conversations about feelings- what’s all the fuss about feelings?! Well when a child (or an adult for that matter) isn’t feeling right, they can’t act right. Helping them to understand these complex emotions is key in helping them manage them!

👩🏼‍🏫Seek help from a professional- if you feel as though you have already attempted to use the above strategies with limited effectiveness, it may be time to call in some reinforcements!