Top 10 Ways To Help Your Child Who is Struggling With Anxiety or Depression

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Nola Peacock, One of Thousands of Family Coaches on Noomii.

As a parent, one of the most difficult things you have to deal with is watching your child suffer in some way. You wish you had a magic wand to make everything all better. Unfortunately, you can’t protect your child from every difficult situation or from pain, but there are things you can do to help your child cope with the bumps in the road.

1. Time. Spending time with your child is very important. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You just need to BE there for your child. You could do some paperwork beside your child while they are doing their homework for example. Play a game with them. Watch a funny movie together cuddled on the couch. You don’t even need to be talking. Just BE with them! This lets them know that they are important to you.

2. Listen. Just listening to your child lets them know you care. It can be difficult for parents to just listen. We tend to want to jump in with answers. It is best to listen to your child and then ask them what they think. Ask them for their ideas. They usually can come up with an answer that is much more creative. Plus, if it is their idea, they are more likely to follow through.

3. Meditation. Daily meditation is a great way for kids and adults alike to deal with stress. If you are comfortable with meditating, ask your child to join you. If you are not familiar with meditating, there are many meditation CD’s out there, including some that are made specifically for children. You can also find them on iTunes or try one of the many meditation apps. I give my clients personalized CD’s which include a meditation specific to them. 

4. Journaling. Give your child a special book to write or draw in. They could even cut pictures from magazines and glue them into their book. This can be a great tool for figuring out their emotions, as well as for dealing with them. If they are really angry at someone or something that has happened, then can let go of their anger by writing or drawing about it.

5. Breathe. Get your child to take a few deep breaths if they are feeling nervous or stressed. Have them put their hands on their abdomen and ask them to breathe deeply so that their hands move up and down. This only takes a few minutes and is something they can do anywhere.

6. Reiki. Reiki is a “massage for your soul”. It can help ease pain or discomfort, as well as be very relaxing. In a few short hours, you can learn how to do Reiki for yourself and your child. Children can learn too. My daughter does Reiki on herself on a regular basis to keep relaxed and feeling peaceful. It is a great thing to do before bed or first thing in the morning.

7. Affirmations or positive self-talk. Ask about what your child says to themselves. You may be surprised. Encourage them to replace any negative messages with positive ones. You can help them put these positive messages on sticky notes around the house as reminders.

8. Visualization. Suggest to your child that they imagine what they would like things to be like. If they are learning a new skill, like skating, have them picture themselves skating. This is another great thing to do right before bed.

9. Play. Have fun with your child. When was the last time you let loose and acted silly with your child. Be a kid again. Get messy. Laugh. Let your child lead the way.

10. Take care of yourself. One of the first things you hear when you are on a plane is “put your oxygen mask on first, then help anyone who needs assistance”. This is true in life too. If you are not taking care of yourself, you will not be helpful to your child. If you are stressed, your child will sense it. Our children are like our mirrors. If you want your child to be relaxed and happy, you need to be too. Make yourself a priority. Both you and your child will benefit.

So…this week, start by picking one step from the list and put it into action. Then, pay attention to the results. You’ll be encouraged to add more of these tips into your everyday life.