It’s tough to watch your little one struggle with worries, and it can break your heart to hear about their fears or see the impacts of anxiety in their life. Many parents in Penticton are looking for ways to support their children through anxious moments and help them build resilience.
A key first step in supporting your child is gaining perspective on anxiety. It’s helpful to understand that anxiety has a reason for showing up in your child’s life—it’s part of our survival mechanism—but it doesn’t define who they are, nor does it make their thoughts into facts. Remind your child that a thought is just a thought.
Anxiety is a powerful force that motivates us and keeps us safe. However, conscious support is needed to differentiate between real threats and perceived threats. These differences are significant, but both real and imagined dangers feel equally intense to an anxious child.
Here are a few Penticton parenting tips for helping your child better understand and manage their anxiety:
Plant Seeds of Curiosity
Encourage your child to get curious about anxiety. It can be empowering to notice the smaller anxiety indicators when they grow. Asking close-ended questions like, “I wonder if that’s your worry talking?” or “I wonder if doing it a different way would lessen the worry?” can help your child start to view their anxiety from a new perspective.
Use Scaling Questions
Helping children measure their worries can be a great way to put them in perspective. Try scaling questions, such as, “Is it a small, medium, or large worry?” or relate it to tangible sizes: “Is it the size of a pea, a pumpkin, or a van?” Starting with relatable examples can help your child better assess the intensity of their worries.
For instance, you might say, “Remember when you used to be afraid of cats? That was a little worry. And when we had to go to the hospital, that was a big worry.” Using past examples helps them see that worries come in different sizes, creating context for future feelings.
Create a Safe Space for Conversations
Discussing worry and the unknown openly can help your child name, measure, and compare their anxiety. This approach allows for more calm conversations and invites problem-solving into the mix. Creating a supportive space for your child to explore these feelings helps them stay regulated and better equipped to handle anxiety in the future.
Jennifer Povoledo RSW, CCC
Jennifer is a Child and Family Counsellor in Penticton, specializing in helping children and parents navigate the complexities of childhood anxiety. She brings years of experience to Monarch Child and Family Counselling, providing support and guidance to families in the South Okanagan. As a parent herself, Jennifer understands the challenges and rewards of helping children manage anxious moments with care and compassion.
For more Penticton parenting tips on helping children with anxiety, contact Monarch Child and Family Counselling.
Contact Us
Monarch Child and Family Counselling
Penticton, BC
Phone: (250) 550-1101
Email: monarchchildandfamily@gmail.com
Visit us at: www.monarchcounselling.org
