As nannies, we encounter all types of personalities in the kids we care for. Some of the children deal with anxiety and we struggle at times to find ways to help them cope and manage their anxiety and fears. I ran across this article Please Don’t Touch Me! {Dealing with Anxiety in Kids} from Toddler Approved from earlier this year, and it was a good read. I am interested in how our readers have dealt with anxiety with the children in their care or other children they know.
Here is a sneak peek at 2 of the 10 suggestions that Kristina of Toddler Approved uses when she is dealing with her child and anxiety filled situations. Have you used any of these?
2. Have low expectations and allow for choices… recognizing child is just trying to hold herself together.
For example, I don’t make what she eats for dinner also become a battle when we are in a stressful environment, I just let it go for that day.
3. Model appropriate language to use.When my daughter is stressed out she may cry and not communicate in helpful ways… like hiding behind me, yelling NO and GO AWAY or just screaming at other kids. I used to just say “use your words” but now I try to give her the words to say and that seems to help a lot. When she is stressed out her brain seems to shut off and she’s unable to think of the right things to say to communicate what she wants effectively. I also talk to her in short phrases, not big long sentences and I keep the language positive. I also try and tell her what I WANT her to do, not what I want her to stop doing.