How to Help an Anxious Child

Anxiety is a normal feeling for both children and adults. However, excessive worry or fear can interfere with child's social, personal, and academic growth. Up to about age 8, children tend to be anxious about specific things, such as animals, the dark, monsters, or older children. After age 8, children's anxieties tend to be about more abstract things, such as grades or having friends. Adolescents may be anxious about how well they fit in or measure up to others, as well as sexual, religious, or moral issues.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Set and maintain clear and reasonable goals and expectations for your child. Ensure that they understand what is expected of them. Lack of clarity may lead to confusion which may lead to anxiety.
2. Be consistent in your discipline. A consistent but flexible routine regarding homework, chores, and activities is also important.
3. Teach strategies to help manage anxiety. For example, good organization and time management skills can help deal with anxieties regarding homework. If you child is anxious about a speech or even something like asking the teacher for help, rehearse the situation with her until she feels more comfortable.
4. Be patient, and listen to and talk with your child regularly. Avoid being critical, and take his feelings seriously. Something that seems silly or unimportant to you may be a very big deal to him.
5. Help them understand that everyone makes mistakes, and that they aren't expected to be perfect.
6. If the problem doesn't go away and it interferes with your child's functioning, seek professional help. A good place to start is your child's school counselor or the school psychologist. They may make a referral to a community mental health professional. A complete physical is also a good idea to ensure there are no medical problems.