Does your child often worry about lots of things, such as how they are doing with school, their past behaviour, fitting in with friends, the future, or things happening in the world? Do they often ask, “what if?” and seek your reassurance? All kids worry from time to time, but some children worry a lot more than others. If worries are excessive or unrealistic, persist, and interfere with daily life, this may indicate anxiety in children that could benefit from professional support.
Signs that your child may be overwhelmed with worry include:
- Lack of awareness that their worries are unrealistic or exaggerated
- Complaints of feeling sick when worrying
- Seeking constant reassurance and asking a lot of “what if?” questions
- Fear of new or unfamiliar situations, and trying to avoid them
- Refusing to participate in activities that other kids enjoy
- Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep, or restless sleep often linked to sleep anxiety in children
Fortunately, there are things you can do to help your child overcome their excessive worries. For example, you can:
- Acknowledge their emotions, show understanding and care, and offer support
- Listen to them talk about their anxious thoughts and feelings, and answer questions truthfully
- Set a 10- to 15-minute “worry time” period each day when your child can draw or write down their worries. This can help the child postpone their worried thoughts so that they do not take over each day
- Ensure there is time for your child to do things they enjoy, and discuss the positives of their day
- Model how to cope with anxious or stressful situations and verbalise as you go. Children generally learn coping strategies by watching their parents
- Be careful not to “helicopter” and become overinvolved in your child’s tasks, as this can communicate that they can’t do things without adult help
- Help your child develop their problem-solving skills by generating possible solutions together
Get in touch
Whether you’re noticing early signs of anxiety in children or more persistent symptoms, our child anxiety specialists in the Sutherland Shire are here to support your family. People also come to us for personalised counselling regarding self-esteem problems, anger management, OCD, adjustment disorder and other negative thought patterns.
Call us today on (02) 9525 8443 to discuss your child’s situation. We provide expert child anxiety help in the Sutherland Shire, including support for sleep anxiety in children and other anxiety symptoms in children. If you’re looking for a compassionate child psychologist for anxiety in the Sutherland Shire, we’re here to help.