Divorce can sometimes result in positive changes for your kids. However, it can also bring about some more negative feelings. Child anxiety is perhaps one of the most common. However, there are some ways you can help them out…
Child Anxiety: Helping Them Out
Talk to them
One good way to handle child anxiety is by encouraging them to talk to you. Anxiety can only get worse when someone doesn’t have an outlet for it. Letting those anxious thoughts run around in their head will just worsen their anxiety. Plus, they might be anxious about even opening up about how they feel.
Therefore, it’s good to take the initiative and reach out to them. Take some time to talk to them, and let them know you’re there to listen. Sometimes, parents won’t have all the answers right away. But, your kids just need to know someone is there to still listen and help them after the divorce.
Encourage positive thinking
Child anxiety might also be due to negative thinking. After all, divorce isn’t a necessarily positive event. This can lead to them having a lot of continuous negative thoughts. For instance, they might think they’re somehow at fault, or they’re anxious about how things will change now that their parents are divorced.
This is when you want to help them think more positively. Give them some reassurance that things aren’t their fault and that you and your ex still love them. Then, try to get them excited for what’s ahead. Just because you and your ex divorced doesn’t mean you kid has to feel like there aren’t positive things to look forward to.
Seek some extra help
In some cases, child anxiety can get really bad after a divorce. When this happens, it can be hard to help them on your own. As a result, you might want to try and help them find some outside help. Mainly, you can do this by helping them meet with a mental health professional.
Many professionals will specialize in helping younger kids, and are trained for situations like these. They’ll be able to spot the signs of anxiety and the underlying causes for it. Through these meetings, your child can better learn how to manage this anxiety, and adjust to the changes in their life.
