Sweaty palms. Nervous jitters. Trouble sleeping. Very real fears. Anxiety can wreck adults and has damaging impacts on kids as well. Anxiety in childhood and adulthood look different, but it feels the same. Over 40 million Americans deal with some kind of anxiety disorder each year and many of them are young. Do you know the signs of anxiety in your children?
This isn’t something to ignore. Your children are going through a lot of changes mentally, physically, and emotionally. Anxiety doesn’t discriminate by age. If you think your son or daughter is too young to be feeling bouts of anxiety, think again. It’s estimated that 1 in 8 kids deals with it regularly, and it can lead to low self-esteem, social isolation, and mental stress. When things feel out of control for your kids, it’s time for you to step in to calm the storm.
Hoping anxiety will go away is not a strategy. You experience it. So will they. It’s important to remind kids that it’s normal, but not always healthy. It can get in the way of daily life, hindering play, school, and relationships. If you have ever felt the weight of managing a household or juggling chores, bills, and work responsibilities, then you can understand the discouragement children dealing with school, friends, and activities may feel. Anxiety creeps in and steals their joy, and childhood is a time that should be marked by joy.
When your child is dealing with anxiety, practice compassion. It’s the key ingredient to helping your child understand, work through, and conquer anxiety. Nobody wants their kids to struggle in this area. It can be difficult knowing where to start. We’ve done all the research. Check out the video below from our Child Safety Series. It will help you guide your children through one of the most common emotions they’ll face. Watch today, and get them back to enjoying childhood.
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “During which moments do you feel most overwhelmed?”