Even before the global pandemic, many experts were highlighting the apparent rise in anxiety among children and teenagers. Whether this rise was due to a greater awareness of the issue, isn’t known. What we do know is that, since COVID, the demand for mental health services has increased even more.
Leading parenting expert and best-selling author Michael Grose describes anxiety as the ‘common cold’ of mental health issues, affecting more people than you might think.
Why are so many children, teens and adults alike feeling anxious, and what can we do as parents to calm our own worries and help our children as well?
In this helpful podcast, Michael Grose discusses some of the causes of anxiety, and talks about how we can manage it and help our children turn anxiety into resilience.
It’s true, we can’t control world events, genetic factors or the trauma of grief, but there are things within the realm of parental influence that can make a real difference to our children’s wellbeing.
Michael says 21st century kids are growing up in a different world to the one most of their parents experienced. Too much time on devices, less face-to-face connection, constant exposure to stressful news, over scheduling and less time in nature… may all be contributing to rising anxiety levels in young people.
It’s not easy making changes, but even a simple commitment to more green time, less screen time, and a focus on mindfulness, can make a big difference.
Drawing on the themes of his popular book with Dr Jodi Richardson, Anxious Kids: How children can turn their anxiety into resilience, Michael talks about what anxiety feels like for kids and explains the age-appropriate ways and skills to move kids’ anxiety from centre stage to background noise.
Whether you’re an anxious adult, or have an anxious child, this podcast will help you find the tools to switch to soothe.
