It not only happens to adults: children also face a series of challenges every day that sometimes surpass them … Instead of downplaying it, in this BodyCarre article we leave you some tips that will help you kids with anxiety.
Day-to-day experiences can sometimes be too much for a child . Something as seemingly simple as shopping at the corner store can be a rest: it is cold or very hot, there is a lot of noise, they cannot touch everything they want or run, parents do not pay attention to them, strangers look at them , sometimes even smiling or saying hello, which can be scary …
Continuing with this example (although the same can be a store that the doctor, the school, a visit …), if it turns out that for the child it is overwhelming to go to the store, it is natural that this ends up generating anxiety when thinking about going. Your brother or sister may even love to go, but they feel bad without knowing why.
It must be said that anxiety, even if we do not like it, is a part of life , and that parents must learn to respond to it with understanding, helping the child overcome it more effectively than simply ignoring what happens.
Here are some tips to help children with a particular anxiety .
Index
Identify the problem that causes anxiety in children
Anxiety is usually caused by a specific thing : you have to try to find out what it is taking into account that the child may not be able to express it. Does the little one get in a bad mood or sad a few hours before going to bed? Or when they know that they are going to go to the grandmother’s house in the afternoon?
The child may claim that his stomach hurts, or break into crying after something that normally does not bother him … You have to pay attention to his behavior and look for clues : identifying what causes anxiety is the first step to face the problem.
Reacts well to what causes anxiety
Whether it’s going to nursery school, taking a bath, lying in the dark in the dark, or playing with new children, it is very important that parents accept the cause of their child’s anxiety naturally and without trying to discuss their fears .
Keep in mind that each one is different and different things affect them: the important thing is to express a genuine concern without being upset or angry with the way the child feels, no matter how “silly” the problem seems.
Let the child know that it is normal to feel anxiety
Naming the problem and making the child understand that anxiety is one of the many feelings experienced in life will make the child realize that it is okay not to be 100% happy all the time.
Also, when the child expresses how he feels, do not dismiss what he says with an “you are fine”: let him know that it is normal and that it is something that we all experience from time to time.
Help the child in difficult situations
Anxiety is sometimes triggered by memories of difficult situations , and the child may be nervous or afraid to face the same thing again. Help the child by giving him different solutions or ways of behaving if he finds himself in a situation like the one that caused him that fear: drawing pictures or representing it with dolls can be especially useful with younger children.
Children’s stories, especially the classics , are also a good source of anti-anxiety tools without the child even realizing that he is learning it. If the child insists that you read the same story over and over again, perhaps it is because he sees something in it that, unconsciously, helps him with a problem he is facing . Do not hesitate: repeat the story as many times as you ask!
Give the child courage to overcome their fears
This is perhaps the most important thing: believe in the child and let him know . Tell him that he is strong enough and that he is growing and learning more and more every day… and make sure he knows that he is loved unconditionally ! Spending quality time with the little one every day is a good form of reinforcement.
Also keep in mind that if the child experiences an excessively high level of anxiety it is best to consult with the pediatrician to find out how to act.
For more information, don’t miss our article on Anxiety: Global Disease or Plague of the 21st Century?
Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.