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Anxiety in Children
by Lead Children's Ministry Intern Estella Gage
It’s not easy being an anxious child and it’s definitely not easy knowing what to do as that anxious child’s parent either. I grew up with anxiety, like a lot of kids, as well as having an intense phobia of anything related to vomit on top of that. This made going to bed each night a hassle throughout all of my elementary school years. Throughout my experiences I’ve gathered several “tools” that have helped me, and that I think are worth a try for kids with anxious feelings.
Overall my most successful piece of advice is sleep stories for children who feel anxious at night. You can find apps for this or I’ve known families with CD players that read aloud calming audiobooks. Listening to sleep stories help children with busy or overwhelming thoughts calm their minds and hearts as they drift to sleep. Even as a 19 year old I am still an avid fan, it’s forever my go-to on restless nights.
Other options for anxious children can be things like anxiety workbooks. These workbooks can be equipped with prompts and readings that help kids sort out their worries and find some relief from them. As a child I had a book that had me name what being anxious felt like, describe what my “worry bully” is like, what to say to my “worry bully,” and much more. I found this helpful at this age as anxiety is often hard to comprehend when you are so young and so new to it.
For children with phobias I highly recommend the site www.doesthedogdie.com, which allows you to use content filters to identify triggers in specific movies. For me I could not watch movies with any vomit as a child. I have also known other kids who cannot handle seeing things like needles projected on screens. This can also be great for those who have recently experienced loss or trauma, who wish to avoid certain subject matter. Other possible subjects can include things like bugs, insensitive jokes, children losing toys, jumpscares, sad endings, certain beloved figures being exposed (think Christmas), violence and much more.
A few months ago, I met with an elementary age girl and her mom to offer my insights on anxiety regarding throwing up. The biggest thing this girl needed to hear was the reassurance that she wasn’t “crazy.” She was scared she was the only person in the whole world who felt the way she did and just wanted to know that she wasn’t. I was able to tell her my own experiences so that she could see the overlap and reassure her that as she grew up she would meet lots of other people who had been in the same spot she had.
Anxiety and phobias can be rough. I wish I could say I am over my phobia of vomit or have beaten my “worry bully” but even now I rely heavily on various tactics in my day-to-day. It can feel isolating and overwhelming but your child is not alone in their feelings, and you aren’t either. It is a process you just have to take one moment at a time.
Estella Gage
Lead Children's Ministry Intern
Reading with your child, as well as listening to digital audio books attained through your local library or Audible are great options for nightly reading. Many families LOVE a non-digital device called Yoto for audiobooks. It’s worth checking out!
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