Am I Making My Child's Anxiety Worse?
This is a question that all parents of children with anxiety should be asking themselves. While no parent intentionally aims to make their child more anxious, there are several ways that parents may inadvertently be doing just that!
Accommodating anxiety: Parental accommodation of anxiety can be especially harmful because it reinforces the child's fear and avoidance behaviors, rather than teaching them how to cope with and overcome their anxiety. As a result, the child becomes increasingly dependent on the parent to manage their anxiety, thus preventing the child from learning important skills for managing anxiety on their own.
Being overly protective: shielding a child from challenging situations or experiences can prevent them from learning how to cope and manage anxiety.
Overreacting to minor setbacks: Parents who overreact to minor setbacks or mistakes may exacerbate their child's anxiety.
Overreacting to their anxiety: becoming anxious or upset yourself in response to your child's anxiety can reinforce their fears and worries.
Ignoring the problem: Not addressing the child's anxiety can lead to it becoming worse over time, it's important to seek professional help and support.
It is important to note that parents are not to blame for their child's anxiety, and it is not always clear what causes it. With the help of professionals, parents can learn how to support their child in managing their anxiety in a healthy way.
