💖 Helping Kids Cope with Anxiety: A Guide for Parents & Teachers

Anxiety is more common in children than many people realize—and it doesn’t always look like worry. Sometimes it shows up as irritability, restlessness, tummy aches, or even silence. As parents, teachers, and caregivers, we have the power to create safe, supportive spaces where kids can name their feelings, regulate their emotions, and learn to thrive. 🌈

🌱 What Anxiety Can Look Like in Children

Children often don’t have the words to describe anxiety, so it can show up in surprising ways:

🔹 Frequent stomachaches or headaches
🔹 Avoiding school or social activities
🔹 Angry outbursts or meltdowns
🔹 Trouble sleeping
🔹 Excessive reassurance seeking ("What if this happens?")

💡 Recognizing the signs is the first step to offering support.

🛠️ Tools to Help Kids Manage Anxiety

1. 🧠 Name the Feeling to Tame the Feeling

Kids need language to understand what they’re experiencing. Naming emotions gives children the power to recognize and release them.

2. 💬 Practice Calming Affirmations

Affirmations help kids shift their thoughts and self-talk from fear to safety and strength.

Try these with your child or student:
🧸 “I am safe right now.”
🌟 “I can handle big feelings.”
🌊 “I can breathe in calm and breathe out worry.”

✅ Repetition builds confidence and rewires anxious thought patterns.

📓 The Confident Mindset Journal includes pages designed specifically for helping kids calm anxious thoughts, practice grounding techniques, and celebrate their small victories!

👉 Grab your copy here: Confident Mindset Journal on Amazon

3. 📚 Use Stories to Start Conversations

Stories are powerful tools for helping kids process feelings.

🐾 In the My Furry Soulmates series, children meet lovable animals who experience big emotions—fear, change, friendship worries—and learn how to get through them with courage and heart.

📖 These books open the door to talk about feelings without pressure.
🌟 “Do you think you’ve ever felt like Poppy the pup?”
🌟 “What helped her feel better? What helps you?”

👉 Explore the My Furry Soulmates Series

🧘♀️ Simple, Effective Strategies to Teach Kids

🟣 The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
Ask them to:
👀 Name 5 things they can see
👂 4 things they can hear
🖐️ 3 things they can touch
👃 2 things they can smell
👅 1 thing they can taste

🟢 Deep Breathing (Use visuals like blowing up a balloon 🎈 or smelling a flower 🌸 and blowing out a candle 🕯️)

🔵 Movement Breaks – Stretching, dancing, or jumping helps kids release stored-up stress

❤️ A Word to the Adults

Kids don’t need us to be perfect. They just need us to be present, patient, and willing to listen. By modeling calm, practicing mindfulness, and offering tools like journals and affirmations, we empower them to feel in control—even when life feels big and scary.

✨ Ready to Help Your Child Cope with Anxiety?

📘 The Confident Mindset Journal – An interactive, feel-good space for kids to explore their emotions, build resilience, and develop confidence.

🐾 My Furry Soulmates Book Series – Heartwarming stories that help kids connect with their emotions and know they’re never alone.

💬 What helps your child manage anxiety? Share your tips or affirmations in the comments below! ⬇️🧸