Teach your child that feeling anxiety is a normal response in many situations. In fact, we need a certain level of anxiety to perform well in situations such as public speaking. Anxiety comes and goes like a wave and is generally short lived.
Teach children to ‘ride the wave’.
- Anxiety will start to build up.
- Try and sit with the feeling and continue the activity.
- The anxiety will peak then start to fade.
Once your child understands about the wave of anxiety, if you see your child getting out of control you can simply say ‘ride the wave’ as a prompt for them to try and get back in control using the strategies you have discussed.
Some children may find it useful to make a chart to record their emotional responses during the day. You can go over it with them after school.
If your child’s anxiety does not respond to simple strategies or is seriously impacting their day to day life please consult a professional such as the school counsellor or psychologist.
