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How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids
Taking cues from you
When children witness a parent in a state of anxiety, they can become unsettled, because they take information about how to interpret situations from the parent.
If you notice your child shows anxious behaviors, don't punish yourself for it. Implement strategies to help ensure you do not pass your anxiety on to your kids.
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Taking cues from you
When children witness a parent in a state of anxiety, they can become unsettled, because they take information about how to interpret situations from the parent.
If you notice your child shows anxious behaviors, don't punish yourself for it. Implement strategies to help ensure you do not pass your anxiety on to your kids.
Learn stress management techniques
A big part of treatment for children with anxiety is to teach parents stress tolerance.
A mental health professional can help you work through methods of stress management for your specific needs.
Model stress tolerance
You might learn strategies in therapy that you can impart to your child when she is feeling anxious.
Try to maintain a calm, neutral demeanor in front of your child, even if you are still trying to manage your anxiety. Children are quick to read facial expressions.
Explain your anxiety
It's okay not to suppress your emotions constantly. Your children need to see how you cope with stress every now and then. Explain to your children why you behaved the way you did.
Make a plan
Come up with ways to manage specific situations that trigger your stress. You may even speak to your child about it, but don't put the responsibility on your child to manage your anxiety. However, seeing you implement a plan to curb an anxious moment shows him how stress can be managed.
Know when to disengage
If you know that a situation might cause you to stress, plan ahead to disengage from that situation so your children will not interpret it as unsafe.
If you feel you are becoming overwhelmed with anxiety in the presence of your child, try and take a break.
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