Photo: Dr. Ariana Hoet OnOurSleeves.org
April is Stress Awareness Month and we all suffer from stress, fear and anxiety at some point, but children are especially prone to those feelings, especially with all the negative and overwhelming news out there.
Kids especially can sometimes hide their feelings and it can cripple them to a point that it stops them from doing the things they want or need to do, and parents don't always know what's causing the anxiety or how to help them work through it in a positive way that teaches them the skills they need to work through it in the future.
Dr. Ariana Hoet, Pediatric Psychologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Clinical Director of On Our Sleeves joined Wake Up Call this morning to talk about how you can help children who are feeling anxious. She mentioned a simple acronym, CALM, to help guide children through their worries and fears.
C - Consider the evidence; help your child find the evidence against their worry thoughts
A - Avoid adding to anxiety; keep questions more neutral and don't over placate
L - Lead by example; share a time in your life you felt nervous and how you got through it
M - Move towards anxiety; safely facing fears makes anxiety weaker
Check out more about what you can do to help children through stress, fear and anxiety. On Our Sleeves has activities available to help parents talk through their feelings. You can download resources and find additional information HERE.
Listen to Jen's interview with Dr. Hoet.