Try to understand and nurture your won needs first. Children will watch and learn. Everyone will benefit.

Coping ‘in the moment’

Send ‘no need to worry’ messages to your brain by slowing down your breathing and movements.

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Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) aim to tighten muscle groups for 10 seconds and then gently release over 20 seconds.

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Visualise a favourite safe place. Use all your senses.

Remember that our feelings are NOT facts.

List everything that’s still ok.

What information do you need to move forward?

Kindness to others creates new coping chemicals which help to balance our anxiety.

Consider Yoga or researching Vagus Nerve to help reduce stress.

Try to feel better

• Drink plenty of water
• Exercise
• Connect with friends
• Rest and relax whenever you can

Small steps will get you there.

Anxiety UK

Mindwise

Recoverycollegeni

nistresscontrol.org

‘Why has nobody told me this before’ Dr J Smith 

Relaxation Apps

Personal Zen

Insight timer

Headspace

Calm 

We are in your corner here at Parentline, to listen, support or advise. Please contact us Monday to Thursday 9am to 9pm, Friday 9am to 5pm or Saturdays 9am to 1pm

Supporting Children and Young People

In the moment

• Encourage your own calming techniques.
• Gently acknowledge your child’s feelings. Try not to minimise, distract or ‘fix’.
• Encourage a safe activity to use up adrenalin ‘survival’ chemicals.

Ongoing Brain Training

Support your child to:

** Identify all their feelings, in detail, as early as possible. ‘Name it to tame it.’

** Externalise the ‘worry’ Name? Appearance? Colour?

** Talk to the ‘worry’. e.g. ‘You’re not the boss of me’

** Complete step- by- step tasks. Gently increase and repeat challenges. Your child will prove to themselves they can overcome the ‘worry’.

Building blocks to help anxiety

Consistency, Routines, Boundaries, Feeling Prepared.

OKAY @ Action Mental Health

Childline 0800 1111  ****  NINJAFOCUS

‘The Whole Brain Child’ Dr Dan Siegel

‘Outsmarting Our Worry’ Dr Dawn Huebner

*** Trust your child to cope

You believe = They believe

*** Encourage problem solving 

*** Allow appropriate risks and natural consequences

*** Over- protection will usually increase anxiety levels

Use age appropriate ‘neuroscience’. Like is, if children understand what is happening to them, they will find it much easier to cope.

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Even young children can understand ‘upstairs’ ‘downstairs’ brain and can learn to tame their downstairs ‘dinosaur’ brain 

We are in your corner here at Parentline, to listen, support or advise. Please contact us Monday to Thursday 9am to 9pm, Friday 9am to 5pm or Saturdays 9am to 1pm