One of the most pressing mental health issues of our day is childhood anxiety. It is estimated by Danny Pine, a child, and adolescent psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health and the leading anxiety expert in the world, that every one in five children will have clinical-level anxiety. Most children’s anxiety will pass, but Pine believes that it will persist, particularly if they don’t seek treatment for others.

Help your anxious child in an increasingly anxious world!

All parents, caregivers, and instructors may benefit from these five takeaways, including information on how to recognize anxiety, how to recognize it in children, and how to help children.

Anxiety and Depression Prevention

Parents who have struggled with anxiety or depression fear that their children may go through the same things they experienced. Fortunately, we now know that people don’t have to sit on the sidelines and hope for the best merely. Instead, parents may take proactive measures to enhance their kids’ emotional well-being from the moment of their child’s birth. Instead of waiting patiently for an issue to arise, parents may take preventative measures to ensure that their child does not become depressed or anxious. Early intervention is far more effective than waiting until a child needs antidepressants, therapy, or inpatient treatment in a mental health facility to take preventative steps.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that the average age of beginning anxiety disorders is eleven years old. The sound and fortune news for worried parents is that a child’s genes do not solely determine these disorders. The three E’s—environment, experiences, and engagement—also play a significant part in determining success or failure in school.

How To Help Your Anxious Child?

Several different circumstances increase the probability of a youngster experiencing anxiety. An estimated one-third to one-half of the risk is inherited. Environmental variables, on the other hand, have an essential role. Discord in the family, poverty and neighborhood violence contribute to worry.

Create an Emotionally Sensitive Household

Giving your children the language to express their feelings should begin as early as possible. According to Dr. Brene Brown, the vast majority of us can only feel three emotions: happiness, sadness, and rage. Many different emotions, such as astonishment, pain, jealousy, humiliation, and guilt, are described in depth in Atlas of the Heart.

Adults and children alike “armor up” before venturing into the real world, which is full of hardships and humiliations, to prepare for whatever lies ahead. Therefore, the need for children to be free to express their emotions without fear of judgment at home is critical.

According to research, students who frequently eat dinner with their parents tend to do better in school, stay healthier, and cope better with stress. They’re also less likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs like methamphetamine.

Make Your House a Peaceful Haven

Don’t let your house become a prison. Don’t take your frustrations at work out on your family. Whether you’re jogging on the treadmill, gardening in the backyard, walking the dog, or relaxing in the tub, show them how to cope with their emotions by expressing yourself and constructively.

It would help if you designated a central spot in your house to use technology. The kitchen, den, or family room are excellent for gathering areas for family members to utilize electronic devices. Monitor and restrict the time spent on the websites your children visit. Make sure they don’t sleep with laptops or televisions.

Make your house a happy place by playing uplifting music. Set the mood with some upbeat music, such as Motown, and let loose with some crazy dancing and acting. Instill in your children the belief that music has the power to uplift us.

Make Use of Nature as a Rejuvenation Zone

Go outside and play with your youngster. According to research, people’s psychological perspective and level of optimism are shown to increase when they are exposed to natural settings. So, every day, children should spend at least two hours outside.

Become a playdate parent. Inviting your child’s friend’s home for a playdate is a great way to bring the kids together to do whatever they want, whether constructing with blocks or forming a fort out of blankets and chairs.

Involve your neighbors in organizing outdoor activities. For example, establish a time for children to play together in your neighborhood or a nearby park. Take turns watching over the group if you’re worried about their safety.

Allow your child to get bored. There’s no need for kids always to be doing something. On the contrary, boredom and downtime are beneficial to children’s development. In addition, it might arouse their curiosity and inspire children to seek out information and discover new things for themselves.

The mind and body may benefit from aerobic exercise.

Exercise should be a part of everyone’s daily routine. All youngsters, particularly introverts, benefit from the regular cardiovascular activity, even if they don’t love team sports. Running, hiking, riding, and swimming are just some of the activities in which certain people flourish.

Encourage the pursuit of art. For children, being creative is a vital means of self-soothing and relaxation. There is no greater joy in the process of producing art than in the result. These activities should be encouraged: drawing, coloring, sculpting with clay and making collages.

Take a walk in the woods. Give your youngster plenty of time in the outdoors on the weekends and throughout the summer. Get away from the people and electronics by exploring local hiking trails and visiting state and national parks.

Make a point of living a grateful life. For example, have your youngster tell you three things they’re grateful for before sleeping. According to several studies, people who cultivate an attitude of thankfulness are happier.

Try to avoid social media’s shallowness.

Parents face many issues nowadays in helping their children remain connected to the real world and not to social media. For some parents, Instagram, a photo-sharing software owned by Facebook, is well-known among their children, but until it made news lately, they had no idea. According to a leaked internal Facebook assessment, which examined the impact of Instagram on teens, the social media platform causes substantial mental health concerns in significant numbers of young women.

Wrapping Up!

Don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your child’s worry from your family’s physician or a cognitive-behavioral therapist. As it turns out, anxiety disorders are pretty prevalent, but they may also be successfully managed.