8 things to say to allay your child's anxiety

How should you deal with your anxious child? Check out this article on 8 ways to allay your child's anxiety

8 things to say to allay your child's anxiety

Singapore is renowned for being a stressful society and it seems like children are feeling the heat as well. It is estimated that up to 20% of children are distressed mentally and anxiety seems to be a significant concern for many children.

If you too have to deal with an overly anxious child, do you know that the solution for your anxious child can be as simple as saying something to them?

If you want to know how to help your anxious child cope with whatever problems they are facing, then this article might just be of great help to your anxious child.

Understanding your anxious child

Anxiety is something which everyone will have to deal with and children are no exception. The anxiety which children face can range from mild to severe and some children are more prone to becoming anxious compared to other children.

Common anxieties among children include being around strangers or failing an exam. Regardless of whatever worries are troubling your child, it is important to not belittle them as while it may seem very insignificant to you, your anxious child probably views it differently.

There are many ways of successfully dealing with an anxious child and one of the simplest ways is to simply know what to say to them. Saying the wrong thing to your child can exacerbate the problem so it is important to take note of the right things to say.

8 things to say to your anxious child

#1

Anxiety is normal and what you're feeling is normal, don't feel stressed out by what you are feeling. Know that you're not the alone in this, okay? Let's take some deep breaths together and see if we can figure out some solutions.

#2

Sometimes you'll feel that your worries are too big to handle. I understand that, I can help you work through some of them. I'll do whatever I can to understand the position you're in. You can trust me and always remember that I have your back.

#3

Talking about what you are thinking can improve what you are feeling. Most times, keeping things bottled up will only make things worst. Knowing that you can trust others with your feelings will make it a whole lot more bearable. Will you share your worries with me?

#4

You can trust that I will do as I say, so you can put your worries away. What you share with me today will stay between the two of us only. It's going to be our little secret. I will guarantee that I will not disappoint you.

#5

You worry more than the other kids because you're kind and sensitive and that's totally okay. That doesn't make you different and certainly doesn't make the other kids better than you. Being worried is normal and everyone feels it. Sometimes, it's just a matter of time.

#6

Anxiety is a warning that tells you something doesn't feel right. Feel worried or anxious is normal. And everyone feels it from time to time. Maybe we can talk about what that is and see if we get over this ordeal together.

#7

If you're feeling worried, then let's talk about what's making you worried. Let's talk about what to expect and what can make you feel calm and have fun again. We can talk about anything you want, really. As long as it'll make you feel better.

#8

What you're feeling right now is called anxiety and it's temporary. It will go away soon and sometimes all it talks is just some deep breaths that'll make you feel better. Don't worry about a thing, just understand that I'll be here for you.

Regardless of what you say to your child, it is important to get them to talk about their anxieties and to listen when they do. Educate them that anxiety is normal and praise your child for having the courage to face their anxiety and tell you about it.

Written by

Sean Foo

Parenting Woesanxietychildparenting advicemental health