Source: peacefulparent.com

 

 

The common objectives of child counseling differ and are dependent on the child’s problems. But it usually centers on and tackles matters in a young adolescent’s life that are relevantly affecting his growth, mental health, and overall wellness. The objective is to assist your child in learning strategies, tools, and approaches that can prepare him for any difficulties that he faces now and in the years ahead.

Ultimately, a common objective of child counseling is assisting your child effectively deal with challenging circumstances that cause the following:

Trauma

The fact is that some young adolescents are unprotected from disconcerting circumstances that leave them traumatized – circumstances that no child should experience. The unpleasant and devastating effects of trauma may include detachment, shock, mistrust, depression, and anxiety. Sadly, in some instances, it can result in posttraumatic stress disorder.

PTSD indications include a deep desire to stay away from individuals who have gone through trauma themselves and avoid troubling flashbacks, nightmares, and sad memories. They usually present with uncontrolled aggression or anger and insomnia, and other sleep disorders. Fortunately, child counseling can provide these children with PTSD a space to express their fears, worries, and concerns.

Child counselors, therefore, can help your child realize that it is not wrong to talk about what they went through. In fact, it is encouraged. In addition, counselors teach children a range of coping strategies that they can utilize during times when they think they ‘can’t handle it,’ meaning that when they go through a flashback that stresses them out, they will learn how to grab a helpful tool from his toolkit to manage it. Tools include relaxation techniques, positive thinking, reframing, and opening up to a trusted family or significant other.

Anxiety

Among the primary advantages of counseling for young adolescents is that it educates them on efficiently dealing with anxiety and emotional detachment on their own. More particularly, your child will learn how to avoid anxiety attacks and manage their anxiety better.

In addition, a child counselor can also assist your child in recognizing that suppressed thoughts and feelings only make things worse. By expressing them to a qualified counselor, your child will eventually get the necessary help that he requires to successfully inhibit or eliminate the negativity that is causing his mental and psychological distress.

Source: mahealthcare.com

Low Self-Confidence

Some kids suffer from decreased self-confidence. When this happens, it can also result in depression, substance abuse, self-harm, anxiety, and even suicide, as children with low self-esteem usually feel empty, useless, and unloved. Consequently, they start to think that their loved ones and significant others are better off if they are gone. A child counselor can encourage your child to enhance his self-confidence in several ways. For example, the child counselor teaches your child ways to see the bigger picture and delve deeper to determine the underlying cause of his problems.

Another method that your child will be able to practice is positive affirmations to improve self-acceptance and self-esteem. He will also know the importance of opening up to a loved one, a trusted individual, or a qualified counselor about his disturbing thoughts and emotions.

Loss And Grief

The sudden death of a family member, friend, or pet can result in a significant amount of loss and grief. If it is painful to you as an adult, you should know that it’s ten times more disturbing for a child who is not as mature as you and is raw in terms of experiences and coping strategies. For kids who go through grieving, it can severely hard for them to understand what’s going on, and they may be engulfed with conflicting and erratic emotions such as denial, depression, anxiety, and anger.

A child counselor helps young adolescents better understand the process while educating them that it is fine to go through confusing feelings. In addition, the counselor explains that loss and grief are normal feelings that other people frequently experience.

There is no limitation as to the length of time that an individual must grieve, and there is no wrong or right manner to do it. It is vital, though, as parents, to be observant of your child and if he seems to be drowning further down and not making positive steps toward recovery after a year or two. Then, it’s time to consult a child counselor.

A child counselor will impart knowledge on your child about coping mechanisms and how vital it is to express his feelings with a trusted person, using his grief positively through music, writing, art, and using his voice to share experiences and memories of the individual or thing that your child has lost.

Source: rawpixel.com

Changes

For numerous kids, change can be traumatic. These include relocating to a city or state, getting into a foster care system, changing schools, or divorce.

Adults, like parents, have the mechanisms to embrace and adjust to these changes, and obviously, most children don’t. So though life changes might not tremendously damage your capacity to function, it could be entirely different for your child.

Child counseling effectively educates your kids on how to efficiently adjust to the changes by concentrating on the affirmative areas of their lives. It also teaches them to practice self-talk in times when they feel stressed about all the events that are new to them.

Ultimately, child counselors instill in your children how to take a deep breath when they have difficulty adjusting to the freshness of it all. The objective of these counselors is to encourage your child to comprehend and embrace these changes and think of them as something natural, and that how they feel is not permanent. Soon, your child will be able to adjust efficiently and will be on his way towards healing.

 

 

 

Child counseling is a form of therapy that centers on young children, teenagers, and adults with one or several mental disorders. Counseling also offers support to children who have gone through trauma and live in an abnormal or stressful home atmosphere.

Many of the problems these children learn and face are similar to the problems that adults face in their daily lives. Some of these general problems include sleep difficulties, depression, anxiety, low self-confidence, and grief. On the other hand, the objective of mental health counseling is to separate adolescents’ or teens’ mental health issues into adaptable portions so that many children understand more and deal with them.

Why Pediatric Therapy

A child counseling expert is a mental health provider who provides invaluable awareness of your child’s growth in both emotional and social. However, you must understand that errors in these aspects often might not be noticeable even to those closest to your child. This is where child counselors come in.

Child counselor has vast knowledge and experience to distinguish, recognize, determine, evaluate, diagnose, and manage various child’s mental health conditions, psychological issues, and adjustment concerns (related to divorce, grief, bullying, etc.).

More particularly, a child therapy counselor, also often known as a child psychologist, has been certified to ‘penetrate’ the minds and children’s behavior so that he can help the family and children to understand what they are going through, build self-esteem, and work and know what’s inside their thoughts and negative emotions. A children’s counselor performs several mental health services for the problematic child.

Child Counseling

Child counselors are mental health professional who knows how to help your child get the help he needs to resolve his concerns and return to a healthy and fruitful child life. It is vital to understand that children inflicted with psychological problems and other mental health conditions might not be open about these mental health issues with their parents.

This does not occur because your child hates you; instead, he is merely afraid that he might disappoint you. Younger children often have low self-esteem. Thus, parents should understand them in a nonjudgmental and healthy way.

Having said that, the goal of the child counselors is to assist children in interpreting the problems that they are going through or the trauma that happened in a manner that they can understand and process. When your kid’s emotional and social situations and concerns are not well managed, it can adversely affect his developmental phases and academic ambitions as well.

Ultimately, type of therapy treatment technique and practice strives to help the child work through their feelings to normally thrive without the permanent effects of trauma, anxiety, fear, or perplexity. And yes, as a parent, you do play a vital role in your kid’s mental well-being merely by being keen, patient, and vigilant. One child is different from another. If a kid is inflicted with psychological, social, mental, or social and emotional distress or trauma, it is most likely difficult to deal with, particularly when you feel everything you’ve done so far hasn’t been helping to resolve the stressful situations. This is where the child counselor can be really helpful.

This qualified mental health treatment provider can recognize the primary causes that impact your child’s general health and wellness, which is why he can swiftly get the right therapy required of him to feel better. Most counselors should focus more on helping the children heal and process healthy development. It is a fact that numerous kids are not capable of completely processing the complications that come along with psychological or emotional issues that they are going through, so it makes sense that counseling might be what they need to attain optimal mental wellness. Treat children according to their needs.

Additionally, counseling can be precious to children with post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anxiety disorders. Thus, it is usual for pediatricians, teachers, and even parents to dig deeper for counseling services if they believe that their children require professional counseling help.

Counseling For Children

And Why Is That?

Because a child counselor is capable of observing, evaluating, and determining the original cause of a child’s suffering.

The Counselor Can Teach Beneficial Coping Strategies That Can Focus On Mental Health And Wellness.

It is important to note that the primary objective of counseling is to utilize the information and expertise of a qualified counselor to alleviate your worries and assist your child in getting the help he needs to perform efficiently. A children’s counselor provides you and your kid with the strategies necessary to manage your kid’s issues or any mental health concern healthily and constructively.

Furthermore, this experienced professional counselor can help you, and your kid goes through awkward, daunting, anxiety-inducing, and challenging moments with less tension and chaos.

When To Visit A Counselor?

As parents, you want optimal health and joy for your young loved one. Still, often, circumstances happen that you merely cannot repair by yourselves, especially when you are both as emotionally invested in the circumstance as you are as parents. This is when it is most suitable to reach out to someone with vast knowledge and experience in the field.

Child Counseling

Hence, you must visit a child counselor when you observe that your kid is stressed, aggressive, or behaving strangely. The counseling professional therapy sessions help in teaching your child beneficial coping strategies that focus on his mental health and wellness while working on their safe space.

Counseling For Children

Child counseling manages a range of issues. For example, child counseling manages kids who have gone through trauma or unpleasant incidents such as the death of a loved one. It also helps kids who have been abused or have witnessed people being abused or bullied.

Practically, child therapists manage any concerns that may result in kids experiencing emotional or social distress or mental health condition that impacts their lives. The goal of child therapy is to assist kids in determining and coping with any concerns that they are going through in the healthiest possible way through positive self-talk. Other treatments that are beneficial in helping children include such as art therapy and play therapy. Play therapy engages with cognitive behavioral treatment to address children and adolescents’ depression and anxiety. A child therapist practices child therapy as it works best in handling kids’ issues in school, family, and social life.

Below is a list of the issues that therapy for a kid can address:

• Psychological distress
• Mental health disorders (anxiety or depression, among others)
• Divorce
• Loss or grief
• physical complaints, emotional, or sexual abuse
• Bullying
• Drug or alcohol abuse /substance abuse

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are Some Signs Your Child Might Need Counseling?

Is Therapy Good For Kids?

What Does A Child Counselor Do?

What Age Should A Child See A Therapist?

What Is A Therapist For A Child Called?

What Therapy Is Best For Kids?

What Types Of Child Therapy Are There?

What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy For Children?

How do I introduce my child to therapy?

How do I prepare my child for counseling?

What is the importance of counseling in children?

How do you conduct a counseling session with a child?

What is child and adolescent counseling?

 

 

For a year, I didn’t have any idea that what I had was an anxiety disorder. I was disrupted at work, and I was temperamental and emotional with my kids. I felt that I was becoming a bad mom, so I took a leave from work to clear my head. I once read that taking time off can help a person feel better and less depressed.

However, after two weeks of cooking, reading my favorite novels, and staying at home, my mental well-being had significantly plunged. I was often crying myself to sleep, my appetite was erratic – eating too much and then nothing at all, and I was deprived of sufficient sleep.

Fortunately, the healthcare professional was very helpful and understood completely what my main issue was. He explained that what I believed was something work-related was actually a debilitating case of depression.

At the onset, I allowed it to remain floating just under the surface while I focused on looking for ways to alleviate the depressive and anxiety symptoms. I began a course of antidepressant medications and started the habit of doing vigorous physical activities. These two methods and resigning from my stressful career helped pacify the severe symptoms of anxiety like numbness, frustration, hopelessness, and suicidal ideations.

What is Crippling Anxiety?

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. For example, feeling nervous before a thesis defense is expected. However, if you constantly feel anxious that completing daily tasks can be very challenging, you might be experiencing crippling anxiety. It is the most common term to describe it that significantly impacts a person’s daily life.

Crippling anxiety is a prevalent mental health condition affecting millions of people worldwide. Based on the statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), around 264 million people around the world suffer from anxiety disorders, with women being more susceptible to it than men. While statistics on the prevalence of crippling anxiety specifically are harder to come by, it is estimated that a big portion of these individuals with this disorder experience severe anxiety symptoms that can be debilitating.

Discussions about anxiety are crucial as they help to reduce the stigma associated with mental health conditions. By discussing anxiety, we can raise awareness and provide support for those who are struggling with anxiety. Additionally, discussions around crippling anxiety can help individuals recognize the anxiety symptoms and seek help from mental health professionals, which can improve their quality of life.

Coping Mechanisms for Crippling Anxiety

Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation practices can be helpful in managing crippling anxiety. These practices involve focusing on the present moment and accepting thoughts and feelings without judgment. Research has shown that mindfulness and meditation can reduce symptoms by improving emotional regulation, decreasing stress levels, and promoting relaxation.

Exercise and Physical Activity

When you’re feeling worried, engaging in regular physical activity can help reduce symptoms. Exercise helps to release endorphins, which can boost mood and reduce feelings of anxiety. Additionally, regular exercise can improve sleep quality, which is often disrupted in people with anxiety.

Seeking Therapy and Professional Help

Therapy and counseling can be effective treatment options for anxiety. As stated by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, cognitive-behavioral therapy is a highly-effective treatment to manage anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a medically reviewed, common therapy approach that focuses on reforming negative behaviors and thinking. CBT can help individuals learn coping strategies and problem-solving skills to manage worried feelings, social anxiety, and other worries. Other therapy approaches, such as exposure therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), can also help treat anxiety.

It is essential to seek professional help if it is impacting your daily life significantly. The mental health experts will be able to determine the things that start your fear response. They can provide an accurate diagnosis, develop a treatment plan, and provide support, sound medical advice, and guidance throughout the recovery process.

Remember that coping mechanisms for anxiety may vary from person to person, and it is essential to find what works best for you. To treat anxiety and panic attacks, it is also important to practice self-care and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

I supplemented myself with more knowledge about anxiety. Here’s what I learned about it through these frequently asked questions and their corresponding answers.

What Is The Top Treatment For Crippling Anxiety?

The most effective ways to help treat severe anxiety include:

• Keeping yourself active by doing physical exercise
• Avoiding alcohol and caffeine
• Getting sufficient sleep
• Quitting smoking
• Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.
• Learning and practicing meditation and deep breathing exercises

How To Deal With Crippling Anxiety?

When your anxiety is crippling – meaning that it overwhelms you to the extent that you cannot regularly perform your daily functions – then you may be having an anxiety disorder. With anxiety, you should first identify the potential triggers for why you feel anxious. Learn to identify the kind of thoughts and associated behaviors that might lead you to experience anxiety and panic, and then change them.

How To Help Someone With Crippling Anxiety?

To effectively help a person with crippling anxiety, you should be someone that he can rely on, someone he can trust to tell you how he feels. Talk to this person and encourage him to try to stay physically active every day. Urge him to learn new things so that he becomes energized and interested. If the symptoms seem difficult to manage, encourage him to find help from local organizations or human services with mental health expertise.

What Treatment Is Effective For Crippling Anxiety?

Psychotherapy (also called psychological counseling or talk therapy) is considered the most effective in treating anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy usually involves changing thinking and behavioral patterns that can exacerbate anxious feelings. Much research suggests that CBT is effective in treating many types of mental health disorders like panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

What are the various treatment options available for anxiety disorders?

Tranquilizers, commonly known as benzodiazepines, are among the most popularly prescribed choice for treating crippling anxiety. Examples of these include Lorazepam, diazepam, clonazepam, and alprazolam work fast, usually producing relief within 30 minutes to one hour.

What is the latest treatment for anxiety?

Ketamine was previously sanctioned by the FDA and classified as an anesthetic. However, it has been increasingly utilized to manage mood disorders, depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. 

Does CBD help anxiety?

CBD was found to benefit individuals with other anxiety types, like posttraumatic disorder and social anxiety disorder. It may also help alleviate anxiety-induced insomnia. 

What is the best mood stabilizer for anxiety? 

Individuals who unsuccessfully responded to mood stabilizers, including lithium, had shown positive outcomes when treated with lamotrigine. It has minor side effects that gradually disappear after a relatively short time.

What is the best non-addictive anti-anxiety medication?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are among the most popularly used forms of prescription medications for anxiety. They are often the first choice of psychiatrists, as they are very efficient for treating anxiety, are not addictive, do not cause impairment of memory, and have minor side effects. 

Does anxiety medication help with physical symptoms?

Anxiety medications and therapy are the two basic treatment options for anxiety. If you have physical indications, you can take medications or go through talk therapy. These also lead to the improvement of your anxiety symptoms.

Do you have to take anxiety medication forever?

General guidelines for treating crippling anxiety suggest that for the initial treatment, keeping individuals on medication when they completely respond and are basically symptom-free for about one or two years seems practical and reasonable. 

What can you take besides Xanax for anxiety?

Other alternatives for Xanax include benzodiazepines such as Lorazepam, diazepam, or clonazepam. All of these are equally as effective as Xanax. 

Does Benadryl help with anxiety?

One of the most common benefits of utilizing an over-the-counter medicine like Benadryl to manage crippling anxiety is that it works quickly and is more convenient. This can be effective if you have to decrease your symptoms of mild anxiety fast.

What is the best Benzo for anxiety? 

Both Xanax and Ativan were shown to produce more positive outcomes compared to placebo, but Xanax proved to be more effective in several studies performed. But in another study using these drugs for anxiety, Ativan was more effective.

 

Conclusion

After reading and following the tips and recommendations that my doctor recommended me, along with the healthy habits that I learned and practiced, I finally reclaimed the confidence that I lost for quite some time. I chose to work from home, which permitted me to keep track of my family while earning from my abode’s comfort. It felt so rewarding to be able to deal with the workload. When my anxiety appeared and attempted to control me, I then knew how to manage it and still maintain healthy physically and mentally.

Indeed, there is no magic pill that can get rid of it and go back to normal life. However, there is plenty of hope for those suffering from it. Identifying what triggers anxiety will tremendously help you anticipate what’s coming before they even arise.

What’s Considered Debilitating Anxiety?

Parents are the first individuals that many children need once they are born. The character and personality that children will have when their development are pretty much built on the foundation made by their parents. They are the most important source of care, love, and guidance. They are the ones that help shape children to whatever they become later in life. But parenting is not an easy task. It is an entirely complicated endeavor that comes with a huge responsibility. It does not represent parents’ success or failure but rather defines their overall emotional and mental health development. Of course, no parents carry perfect responsibility, and they all strive to handle parenting efficiently. With that, it is vital that parents understand the need to do things differently for their children. Let’s check out what some of these things are.

Source: pixabay.com

Parents Get Along With Each Other – One of the best parenting assets is when both mother and father work together to provide their children with care, love, attention, and consideration. They both must get along because the way they interact with each other can make a huge difference. It contributes to the child’s developmental growth as they become well-adjusted to a happy and compromising environment. That is regardless if the parents are together or separated. When there is less parental conflict, it allows the children to develop a sense of emotional and mental health stability, which is good for overall children’s mental health development. Good parents know that whatever happens between them, their children should never have to deal with the consequences of their actions. Thus, they need to figure out a way to treat each other nicely.

Source: pixabay.com

Parents Spend Quality Time With The Children – It is no brainer that parents should spend quality time with their children to improve their overall wellness. But they should also note that children’s have different qualities and their needs vary. Some may need less quality time, but it does not mean the children will not benefit from it. The truth is, whether parents play with the chidlren, cook with them, watch a movie together, or do household chores, it all contributes to the kids’ physical, emotional, and mental health development. It will still become a better way to show kids that parents care and love them despite the random changes in daily responsibilities. As long as parents find a way to interact with their chidlren even for a couple of hours, it will all be worth it.

Source: pixabay.com

Parents Show Physical Affection – One of the misconceptions of parenting is that most parents believe that physical health affection is too much. That explains why some do not entirely consider getting affectionate with children as they thought it would cause them to become dependent. However, countless studies show that for children to develop a great sense of self-worth, they need warmth and affection from their parents. Children feel safe when their family constantly touch or hug them as it represents care and love. Aside from that, with parents constantly show affection, children become less aggressive and anti-social. It helps them regulate behavioral health problems too and deal with early childhood mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Source: pixabay.com

Parents Listen And Try To Understand – It is not always that parents understand their chidlrens’ every behavior and a  child counseling mental expert would agree with that. Mostly, they spend a lot of time talking, scolding, and preaching without understanding the children’s response. That is why parents must listen to their children. They should try and understand their social skills and every action to determine what makes them sad, anxious, stressed, and lonely. Parents should use the opportunity to connect with the children whenever they feel hurt and unmotivated. That way, they can walk the chidlren through the process of emotional and mental disorder recovery. Regardless of how old their chidlren are, parents should ensure to take time to listen to their children to understand children’s mental health developmental disabilities or disorders, fears, thoughts, life concerns, and overall mental health care.

Source: pixabay.com

Parents Guide And Support – According to most experts of the centers for disease control, it is entirely understandable the parents desire success for their children. It somehow validates their pushy, demanding, and bribing attitude towards their children. However, the method of convincing children to excel at school academics, practice sports, learn new instruments, assess disruptive behaviors and so on, should never have to be an exhausting process. Parents must understand that guidance and support mean a lot rather than the achievement itself. Parents must realize that a gentle mental health development approach is always a better way to encourage children to do their best while dealing with risk factors. And even if the chidlren fail, parents must ensure that things are still okay and that the children still have the option to try again.

Parents will always find it hard to become the best. One way or another, their words of encouragement, honest responses, and reminders will not be enough to sustain the emotional and mental health development of children. But as long as they commit to their roles and responsibilities, they can ensure the children’s overall wellbeing and keep them mentally healthy. As long as they understand the need for emotional and mental stability, imperfect parenting can still go a long way. If it is still a problem, it would be best to seek mental treatment options to improve access to children’s mental health care and prevention. One can check from center for disease contol and prevention to understand more about the mental health problems.

FAQs

How Is Psychological Well-Being Related To Child Growth?

What Is The Importance Of Child’s Psychological Well-Being?

What Is Developmental In Mental Health?

How Can I Improve My Child’s Mental Development?

How Is Psychological Growth Important For Child?

How Do You Promote Positive Psychological Well-Being In Kids?

Why Is It Important To Promote Psychological Well-Being?

What Is The Best Way To Promote Psychological Well-Being?

Why is it important to promote ways to improve mental health?

There are so many transitions in children’s life. Those changes often give them a hard time. But most parents assume that the kids will just go with the flow and automatically become used to the changes. But that is farther from the truth. It is not as natural as parents think.  Kids often find it challenging to deal with any transition. Yes, new things can be exciting for them. But it can also become potentially terrifying at some level. Thus, parents need to teach and help children cope with the changes in their lives. But how can they do that? What are the necessary skills they need to learn to allow smoother transitions?

Source: pexels.com

What Does Change Signify To Children?

There are tons of situations where kids experience change. These situations are processed differently depending on the emotional, physical, and mental ability of the kids. The children know that sooner or later, they will have to deal with it no matter what. However, the majority of kids are scared of things they do not know. Yes, they understand what change can do to them and how it can affect their lives. But not all children are strong enough to handle it. Thus, change for them is something they want and don’t want at the same time.

How To Introduce Kids To The Idea Of Change

Honestly, parents are not that aware of how much they force their children into dealing with change. Parents often have this ideology and scheme in their minds that convince them that things are okay once they create a plan. Parents assume that when they envision a way to persuade kids to change, it all sets there. However, that particular mentality complicates everything in the process. When parents do not inform the kids about what they want and immediately go ahead and enforce it, it results in overwhelming feelings. The children begin to build a barrier because they feel afraid to lose predictability.

Source: pexels.com

What Is The Children’s Basic Struggle When It Comes To Change?

The one problem with “change” is that there are no operating rules for children to follow yet. So part of that difficulty is when children think about the possibility of failure. Kids often feel scared of trying and revealing adequacies. Thus, the children become less confident and competent because they somehow knew things would not go the way they like. Kids don’t like change because they cannot control it regardless of how small and big it may be. Children live in the moment, so when parents try and yank them out of a particular routine, it becomes hard for them.

What Determines How Well Children Can Cope With Change?

It all depends on the situation. But mostly, when kids are stressed and anxious to a large degree, it is not entirely easy for them to understand the needs of life transitions. Kids have the ability to over-focus on things they like. So it becomes hard for them to let go of something because they are already used to it. It is normal for them to get stuck. Fortunately, parents can know if children are capable of handling unexpected situations. Usually, it will start with a lot of confusion. Kids will begin to ask questions, and soon they will try and internalize the situation. From that moment on, they will start to adapt slowly and eagerly.

Source: pexels.com

What Makes Change Complicated For Children?

Naturally, children can deal with a change like every adult does, provided that they are well-informed of the consequences of their actions. Sometimes, they do not need their parents’ guidance for that. But in some unfortunate situations, the children struggle a lot when their parents are the ones who can’t deal with the transitions. It becomes much challenging for the kids to deal with life when they see their parents struggling and getting stuck on theirs.

How Children And Parents Struggle In Transition

Everything about the children’s life transition has something to do with parenting. Transitioning is not just the children’s responsibility, but the parents battle as well. It requires emotional, physical, and mental strength. Parents need to get into the kids’ world and understand what makes them do what they do. Child counseling professionals suggest that parents need to avoid forcing their children into things they are not aware of because it only increases their anxiety.

Source: pexels.com

Children are looking for a solution to a problem. They know they cannot control everything and that they need to rely on their parents’ assistance to get through their life transitions. Thus, it is essential that parents prepare their kids for the many challenging things they will inevitably have to face. They need to start by understanding their kids’ capability, slowly introducing them to different things, and be with them all the way through the process.

 

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives. One of these changes includes the indefinite suspension of classes until the pandemic is over. Children also experience fear as their daily routines change.  

According to Roshini Kumar, LPC, a clinical therapist at Children’s Health, “Children of any age can experience anxiety.” She adds, “Right now, it’s difficult to anticipate the future, and kids have been pulled from their normal routines. Any time a child faces significant change, it can cause fear and anxiety.”

If your kids are experiencing fear and anxiety, here are some ways how you can help manage them:

Manage Your Own Anxiety First

Kids pick up what their parents are feeling. If their parents are happy, the kids also feel the same. But if their parents are scared or anxious, the kids will also be worried and apprehensive. While it is essential to be up to date with current events, it’s also important to set boundaries for news exposure. All of us need to be updated and prepared, but we should not even panic.

If you want to be updated, you can check reliable sources such as the World Health Organization.

Ask And Listen To Your Child

You can start the conversation by asking the child what they know about COVID-19 and what they’re worried about. This way, you will have an idea of where to begin and how to address misconceptions. If your child is active on social media, ask them what they saw and where they got such information.

Asking what your child is worrying about can also help relieve their anxiety. You may even realize that they’re not worried about the COVID-19 but other things. Listening and validating a child’s feelings are needed to support them during these difficult times. You can do so by sharing with your child your ways of coping up with anxiety. 

Explain The Facts In A Calm Manner 

Before jumping into the discussion about COVID-19 to your child, be sure that you gather reliable information but stick to only one to two sources, so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Share this information with your child calmly and straightforwardly and explain these in terms your child will understand.

For instance, you can say that the COVID-19 is a virus that spreads to people by sneezing or coughing and how does it affect kids.

You also have to tell the truth when explaining to your child. At the same time, reassure them that you, as parents, are doing everything that you can to protect and keep them safe from the virus.

Create A Routine

Now that we are currently undergoing in the “new normal,” establishing a daily routine will help the child adjust and cope with the changes. Setting up a new daily routine will be beneficial for the child because they will maintain their regular sleep schedule, healthy eating habits, and other physical activities.

Here are some activities you can incorporate to your new daily routine with your child:

• Tutor and help the child work on their school assignments at an area of your home with fewer distractions.
• ​Try to follow your child’s school schedule when they were still going to schools, such as having 10-15 minute breaks or 30-40 minute lunch breaks. If so, take breaks and eat lunch together with your child.
• Set a time for doing fun physical activities with your child to help them become physically active and fit while at home.

Teach Your Child Self-Care

During these times, we all have to take care of ourselves more than ever. In the same way, your child has to learn self-care methods to lessen their anxiety. Some techniques are taking deep breaths, media breaks, reducing device usage, encouraging healthy sleep habits, and being consistent with your daily routine. 

Children Can Help, Too

Always remind your child that there are things they cannot control. But they can contribute to preventing the spread of COVID-19 at home, like washing their hands thoroughly and more often, not touching their eyes and mouth, coughing or sneezing into their elbow, practicing social distancing and many more.

While they may not fully grasp the pandemic situation, but doing these ways will help them cope with the worries brought by the pandemic. For both parents and children, it is necessary to intentionally reduce media usage to lessen the anxiety and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Childhood anxiety is a serious but often undiagnosed condition. Separation anxiety, social phobia and generalized anxiety are among the most common mental health issues affecting children and adolescents. — James Pendleton Ph.D.

When it comes to verbal cues, children aren’t really good at them. For this reason, it’s quite a predicament for parents to coax their children into opening up about their fears and worries. Thankfully, there are ways to determine if your child is becoming anxious and if there is a need to seek pediatric counseling.

 

Red Flag #1: Difficulty Falling Asleep

 

Having difficulty falling asleep, waking up often in the middle of the night, or unexpectedly asking to spend the night in your bed are typical signs of pediatric anxiety. Sudden and significant changes in children’s nighttime routine are coping mechanisms used to deal with anxiety. To ease the feeling of children, it is crucial to follow night habits that usually involve children and parents listening to soothing music, helping kids with their shower, and reading books right before bedtime.

 

 

Red Flag #2: Constant Irritability

Noticing sudden, extreme behavior and mood swings in a child is another warning sign that he or she has anxiety issues. If an easy-going, cheerful, amiable child becomes obsessed with being a perfectionist and becomes aggressive or irritable, he or she may be displaying her fears and worries. Once these behaviors surface, it is best to have frequent communication with your children and ask questions aimed explicitly at knowing how your child feels and what made them feel that way.

 

The goal is to dig deep and know the root of all his or her behaviors. Make your children aware that you are fully invested in knowing what’s happening in their lives and you are determined in helping them figure out a way to resolve the issue. Often, all children need is a reassuring, concerned adult to make them feel secure and loved.

Knowing the factors that contribute to anxiety will lead you to the best solutions. It’s sort of like having a car that’s making a funny sound. You need to find out what’s making the sound before going in and changing parts. — Christopher Lynch Ph.D.

Red Flag #3: Attachment To Devices

Kids are prone to engaging themselves in video or computer games; however, those who are dealing with anxiety may continuously immerse themselves in these addictive devices. Excessive usage of activities that involve gadgets is usually a red flag for anxiety. Modern-day technologies are often used to escape momentarily from reality and stressors of life. However, if you notice that your children are creating a stronger relationship with their computer games instead of their real-life friends, this is most likely a case of anxiety.

 

To deal with this predicament, you first have to talk to your children about the negative impact of constant exposure to screen-based novelties. Then, while your children are using their devices, interact with them by asking questions about what they’re playing or watching and what they liked about it. You will be amazed by the extent of information you can conjure while they are busy with their digital activities. Don’t miss out on the opportunity of asking how your child feels whenever they play the game they love.

 

Red Flag #4: Becoming Extra Clingy

During a child’s first few years, they are expected to be dependent on their parents. As they grow old, it’s a natural occurrence for them to separate themselves from adults to find their own identities and mingle with other people. If children who were once independent suddenly became more emotionally attached to their parents, that is a subtle red flag for developing anxiety.

 

Children who crave for attention and alone time or become increasingly jealous of their siblings may be crossing from a secured attachment phase to an anxiety-directed attachment phase. Don’t miss out on subtleties like this; children’s behaviors change for numerous reasons. Reflection by parents on their kid’s actions is essential.

 

Red Flag #5: Achieving Perfectionist Status

Dedication to school, specifically academics, sports, and other extracurricular activities is excellent for the growth and development of kids. But when their commitment has shifted to becoming a perfectionist, a parent must be prompted that their kids are experiencing anxiety that is most likely related to school. Fixation on getting everything right or not wanting to commit mistakes may significantly affect your children’s enjoyment in joining activities.

 

There is nothing crooked about achieving goals and dreams. However, there is a thin line that separates healthy from unhealthy thinking. If this is the condition, you have to communicate with your children regarding their views on not achieving their set goals and help them see that committing mistakes or not making it the first time is part of life’s ups and downs.

It was reported that one in every 5 young adults, ages 18 to 28, experienced an anxiety episode during the last 12-month period, preventing them from adapting to the challenges of adulthood. — William L. Mace Ph.D.

 

Anxiety in children is a considerable circumstance that needs to be attended to immediately. If the solutions mentioned were not effective in relieving your children from their anxiety, seeking help from pediatric counselors or child counseling specialist can be taken into significant consideration.