Is Your Child's Anxiety Triggering You?

Do you find yourself responding to your child’s anxiety by telling them to calm down or assuring them they have nothing to fear? You may have noticed that this approach rarely helps. When our children experience intense emotions, they look to us to see if their feelings are acceptable. If we immediately invalidate their emotions, it can increase their sense of overwhelm and panic.

In these moments, we often know that our children need validation of their feelings and to see that we are calm in the face of their big emotions. They need reassurance that we are there with them and that their feelings will pass. So why do we so often respond with impatience or invalidating their feelings?

The most common reason is our own anxiety is being triggered by our child's anxiety. We are wondering, where did we go wrong in our parenting? Why are we unable to fix this. Our minds are racing forward a decade, imagining them unable to handle anxiety, cope with life’s stressors, or maybe even living in our basement. Whoa. Slow down, mama!

Other times, we are simply overwhelmed and overstimulated and don’t have the capacity to respond in the most helpful way. Becoming aware of our own negative thought patterns is key. As moms, we often focus on everyone else being okay, losing sight of our own well-being.

You know who can tell when we are not okay? Our kids. Children are extremely perceptive and can sense when we are anxious. This feeds their own anxiety creating a cycle of anxiety. Since kids tend to be self-centered, they may even think our anxiety is because of them.

At Mumta Wellness, we believe the most impactful thing parents can do for their child’s anxiety is to become aware of and take care of their own mental health. When you remain calm and centered, you create a home that is a safe place for them to land.