Arguably one of the biggest problems parents face today is anxiety in children, nervous behaviors, their sleep problems, their almost irrational fears, why should they be?
Being a parent is no easy task, we have not come into this world with a manual that explains how we can educate happy children, who in the future will become mature adults capable of fulfilling their dreams, whatever they may be. .
- Being a mother.
- Being a parent.
- Is an adventure that is learned every day and requires not only love.
- But also courage and many emotional resources.
- Is anxiety in children a challenge we can face?Certain styles of education.
If you’re currently noticing that one of your children is behaving anxiously, the first thing to do is avoid correcting or censoring the child, far from helping, we’ll increase the tension he or she feels.
Believe it or not, we all have appropriate strategies to address and resolve these circumstances. You have to remember, it’s not about being the best mom or dad in the world.
Is it about being always present. It’s about being the best example, the best role model our kids can find support and good examples.
Today, in this article, we want to help you manage anxiety in children.
You may have heard that “anxious children reflect anxious parents on several occasions. “But sometimes the reason our children suffer from anxiety can go further.
Anxiety is a response to circumstances considered threats; inappropriate fears and strategies are developed to solve everyday problems; living an anxious childhood will hinder children’s emotional development in the future.
There are experiences that young children can’t understand or don’t treat properly, the loss of a family member, such as a grandparent, can trigger certain irrational thoughts that can lead to anxiety disorders.
A child’s emotional and private world is as complex as it is sensitive, parents can’t reach all these dimensions, we can’t make their lives as easy as we’d like.
So the most important thing is to be attentive, to be available, to protect, to help, to talk and to listen. Anxiety in children is a symptom of something we need to understand and face.
To be sure, appropriate strategies and an educational style based on emotional intelligence can help us prevent and treat anxiety in children.
As we educate we must be self-aware. Their words educate, their gestures, their reactions, and even the tone of voice are instruments that children integrate, process, and feel. Act in balance and without inconsistency; To train happy people is also to educate in terms of emotions.
According to the study cited above in The American Journal of Psychiatry, and psychiatrist Golda Ginsburg, it is sometimes sufficient for a parent to behave anxiously for children, especially between the age of 6 and 13, to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
The same author explains, in turn, that there is no unique cause for these problems, in fact it is a combination of genetics, on the one hand, and many environmental factors, on the other.
If we or our partners suffer from an anxiety disorder, it would certainly be more appropriate to treat the problem and be aware of it so that our style of education is not based on these behaviors that can sometimes occur without us nod.
Now let’s see what would be the most appropriate strategies to prevent and deal with anxiety in the little ones:
You may be afraid that something will happen to your children, overprotection, whether we like it or not, it generates a lot of anxiety in children, we must allow them to face their fears.
Fear of the first day in a school where you don’t know anyone, fear of not doing it right on your football team, fear of asking questions in class, fear of spending two days without seeing your parents because you’re going hiking?
We must allow you to develop your own adaptation strategies. When you do this and resolve your fears, you will be proud of yourself.
Praise your children for everything they do well and, most importantly, avoid censoring or criticizing them when they make a mistake.
Censorship in the form of screams or denigrating words, such as “Are you clumsy?”, creates a strong anxiety in children. Negative messages create avoidance behaviors, so it’s best to encourage, encourage, and support.
Sometimes we forget things that are important to them and that we barely see for lack of time.
If your child appreciates that you say that this drawing is beautiful, that you obtained a high score in class, or that you like a certain animal, always listen to it, seeing that we do not value it generates uncertainty in him, and not knowing? generates anxiety.
Find out what scares them, no matter how insignificant, are they afraid of the dark?Aren’t you afraid of getting it wrong during an exam?
Talk to your children about all your fears and do so with a sympathetic and attentive attitude. Then make a positive statement to remind him that he can do anything and that he will always have help.
The best warriors are not the ones who always succeed, but those who are able to overcome their fears and grow through these daily victories.
Images courtesy of Jimmy Yoon, Claudia Tremblay.