Anxiety is hard to understand for some kids because it seems to just come out of nowhere. Adults are quick to tell them that there is nothing wrong and nothing to worry about. This is not how you deal with anxiety in children! You need to fully explain to them what is going on, the science and everything. When they understand where their feelings are coming from they are reassured that there is nothing wrong with them and that it is their body making them feel this way for good reason. Young compares the feeling of anxiety when you miss a stair and have a brief moment of panic. Her daughter compared it to the feeling of falling while you sleep. After explaining the role of the amygdala ask the child to give there’s a name to make it known as something they can control and become “buddies” with as Young says. Reassure them that they are in control and teach them breathing and mindfulness exercises to practice calming down their bodies. It takes time but when children understand that what they feel is acknowledged and can understand where and why it happens they can learn to control it. Young also mentions the high rate of anxiety in a classroom. She says 1 in 8 kids go through anxiety at some point and that it should be normalized so that if the child is anxious at school they will feel less insecure knowing that others understand and that they are not alone.

Source: Young, Karen. (n.d.). Anxiety in Kids: How to Turn it Around and Protect Them For Life. Retrieved from https://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-kids/?fbclid=IwAR292hM2filP8zwbJU1h4Ve3kaqv1xoaGkjQfNhW8X1Io_QgnyQzPxPo748