There are few things more distressing for parents than seeing their child struggle with anxiety. Though everyone has worries on occasion, when it becomes a constant problem, there is cause for concern. With your support, your child can get through this. Here are some ways you can help.
Let Your Child Know You Love Them Unconditionally
All children need to know that their parents as well as other members of the family love them unconditionally. This love and the security that comes with it will provide children with a critical cornerstone for good mental health.
This means it is crucial to let your child know that your love does not hinge on getting good report cards, their sports performance, or any other accomplishments. Knowing that any mistakes they make won’t result in your loving them any less will give your child’s self-confidence room to grow.
Promote Your Child’s Resilience to Adversity
Everyone faces adversity, and it is important to help your child build the resilience to face it. By helping to foster connectedness and basic competencies as well as the ability to help others and receive help back, your child will grow to learn that they can overcome difficult situations. This is critical to meeting the challenges life will continue to throw at your child throughout their life.
Offer Direction and Discipline to Help Your Child With Anxiety
All children need room to learn and grow, but they also need guidance to know that there are actions and behaviors that are simply wrong and will be punished. This will help them to develop self-discipline. To do this, you, as their parent, need to set an example, give suitable guidance, and provide appropriate discipline.
Discipline must be fair and applied consistently to all children within the family so there are no “favorites.” You must also set a good example by following family rules; after all, how can you expect children to obey rules when their parents are breaking them? Whenever you must discipline your child, explain why the behavior is wrong and why they are being punished.
Encourage Play Time with Other Kids
Playtime with other children is not only fun for your child—it will help them to develop new skills like problem-solving and creativity.
Physical games such as tag or hide and seek provide great exercise, which helps your child’s physical and mental health. For children without any friends of a similar age, you can consider enrolling them in programs offered by schools, recreation centers, and park centers.
Find Encouraging Teachers and Caretakers
There will be times when you cannot be there to watch over your child. Chances are your child will have teachers or sitters who will assume this responsibility. These individuals are also instrumental in your child’s development and mental health.
Look for teachers and other caretakers who are consistently supportive and who will be active in your child’s development. This way, you can ensure a full continuum of mental health care for your child.
Final Thoughts
Supporting your child’s mental health and development is always important, and it can be particularly challenging if your child struggles with anxiety. Try to let your children know you love them unconditionally while providing them with direction, helping them to build resiliency, and ensuring they have the resources to grow and develop a healthy mindset.