What is the one thing your child needs to achieve their full potential?
Being a happy kid.
And what is the major obstacle to being a happy kid?
Anxiety.
Under stress blood moves away from the front part of the brain and is concentrated in the back part of the brain. The back part helps govern how we survival as it switches on our fight or flight response.
The front part of the brain allows us to think creatively, problem solve and recall useful information.
Essentially, we need access to all parts of our brain to reach our true potential.
So how do you teach your child to manage their anxiety?
- Breath babe – Have you ever been told to take a deep breath? We all have, and with good reason. When stressed we tend to hold our breath as we are consumed by apprehension or fear. Controlled breathing will flood the frontal lobe with blood and therefore oxygen allowing one to think clearly.
- Shake that booty – When you anxious or fearful you have a surge of adrenaline and cortisol which is perfect to get you out of sticky situations. But you physically need to move these hormones through your body for them to dissipate. In the playground or at home your child may be able to scream or run but in class it may be more appropriate to jiggle, tap their foot, wiggle or be excused to go to the bathroom for a walk.
- Chillax – Learn relaxation techniques at times when you are not under stress. It’s like using a muscle, the more you learn how to relax your body the stronger that feeling becomes when you need to call on it.
- Find you inner Evil Knievel…sort of – Not only allow your kids to take risks, but teach them to. They will always be challenged by new experiences. Even for adults this can be confronting. Your kids need to know that its ok to try something new and not be good at it.
- Broccoli for the mind – Your thoughts and words are powerful. Teaching children to listen to their own words will help them recognise what message they are sending to themselves. Words like “I can’t” could be replaced with “I’ll try,” or “I hate…” to “I prefer…”.
- Choice Now – Freedom Now – Ask them what options they have to their problem, every problem has a solution, it’s just a matter of finding it. Let you children know that they have a choice, even what appears to be a tiny choice can have a huge impact on their wellbeing. Choice = Power.
- Lead by example – Tell them about a time you were really anxious, how you felt and what you did about it.
- Be a mirror – Reflect back to your kids what you are seeing or hearing from them, this will help them clarify what they are feeling. Like “It sounds like you had a really challenging day”, or “You don’t seem yourself today.”
- Keep calm and carry on – Help your kids understand that even as adults we do not always function optimally. Your kids need to understand, sometimes you just have to get a wriggle on even though you aren’t feeling 100%, sometimes “wriggling on” makes you feel better.
- Don’t just give them presents…be present! – Spend time with your beauties, get off your phone more often and onto the floor. It doesn’t matter what you do just as long as you find something mutually enjoyable.
Spending time with your children sends them the message that, “Hay I like you, you are worth being around.”
xx
Please note this list is not exhaustive and you may need to try a few different types of techniques to find which suits you and your family the most. Start by trying one new idea and see how that fits.
Like all new things, managing anxiety should improve when you practice your new skill regularly.
Need some direction with your little one? Check out my page: lkkinesiology.com.au
Kinesiology works wonders with kids as its gentle, non-invasive and they don’t need to do a lot of talking.
