Navigating the Anxiety Wave: 9.4% of Children Experience Anxiety, Here’s What Parents Can Do

Anxiety is a common issue among children, with approximately 9.4% of children aged 3-17 years experiencing diagnosed anxiety¹[6]. This number has been on the rise, increasing 27% from 2016 to 2019²[7]. As parents, understanding and addressing this issue is crucial for our children’s wellbeing. Here are some strategies that can help, inspired by resources on Huddle Wisdom²¹.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal part of life and all children will experience it at some point³2. It’s when there’s too much anxiety, or it occurs too often, that it becomes uncomfortable³2. Anxiety can present as fear or worry, but can also make children irritable and angry¹[6]. Some anxious children keep their worries to themselves, so the symptoms can be missed¹[6].

Strategies for Managing Anxiety

1. Open Communication: Maintain an open dialog with your child and encourage them to talk with you about

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Parenting Lessons from the Sands of Arrakis: A Dune-Inspired Guide

Frank Herbert’s science fiction masterpiece, “Dune,” is not just a tale of interstellar politics and giant sandworms. It’s also a treasure trove of wisdom that can be applied to various aspects of life, including parenting. Here are some key lessons from “Dune” that can guide you on your parenting journey.

1. Honesty is the Best Policy

In “Dune,” Duke Leto Atreides grapples with whether or not to tell his 15-year-old son, Paul, about the dangers they face. He decides that even dangerous truths are valuable if one is trained to deal with them. This teaches us the importance of being honest with our children, preparing them for the realities of life, and equipping them with the tools to handle these truths.

2. Teach Your Kids to Spot Trouble

Duke Leto also imparts wisdom about identifying potential pitfalls. He tells Paul, "Knowing where the trap is — that’s the first step in evading it"¹. This lesson can be tr

 School can be hard for many kids. They have to deal with academic pressure, social challenges, and new situations. All of this can cause anxiety. Some kids even refuse to go to school because they are too scared or stressed. As educators and parents, we need to work together to create a supportive environment that helps kids succeed. Let’s see how adult connections make a big difference in this process.

1. Teachers as Anchors Creating a Safe Haven Teachers are not just teachers; they are anchors for our kids. When teachers make kids feel safe, trusted, and cared for, kids do better. Research shows that kids who feel loved by their teachers learn more. Why? Because when kids feel safe with someone, their brains are ready to learn. Without this feeling of safety, the brain is focused on survival instead of learning.

Moving Beyond Fear-Based Discipline Fear does not help—it hurts. Old-fashioned ways of discipline like suspensions, stand-downs, or public rankings hurt kids’ well-

Navigating the Anxiety Wave: A Compassionate Approach to Parenting

In the whirlwind of our modern, hyper-connected lives, we often find our children grappling with anxiety. As parents, educators, and members of society, we may unintentionally contribute to this growing concern. Let’s delve into this issue and discuss how we can shift the tide.

From Self-Growth to External Achievements

Think back to our own childhood. Our aspirations were centered around personal development, learning, and self-enhancement. We strived to evolve into better versions of ourselves. However, over time, the focus shifted. We began to pursue external indicators of success such as wealth, social media validation, accolades, and academic accomplishments. These became our benchmarks, which we inadvertently passed on to our children.

The Ever-Changing Goalposts

Today’s children are navigating a sea of ever-changing expectations. They are expected to excel acadically, engage in numerous extracurricular

Have you ever marveled at how pilots manage to fly complex aircraft safely? The secret lies in a deceptively simple tool: checklists! ✈️

In the world of aviation, checklists are more than just a mundane list of tasks. They are a critical lifeline that pilots rely on to ensure they don’t miss any crucial steps and that all systems function flawlessly. By following a systematic order, checklists make the process logical and prevent any steps from slipping through the cracks or being incorrectly set. But here’s the exciting part: this methodical approach isn’t exclusive to flying airplanes—it’s a strategy we can seamlessly integrate into our daily lives, especially as parents.

Checklists for Parents: A Low-Cost, High-Reward Solution

Just like pilots, we parents have an intricate and vital job to perform. Our responsibilities range from managing household chores to nurturing our children’s growth and well-being. Amidst the chaos of parenting, we can take a cue from the aviation in

Navigating the Silent Treatment: A Parent’s Guide

Parenting is a journey, one that is filled with unique challenges. One such challenge that we often encounter is dealing with the silent treatment from our children. This can be a frustrating situation, but it’s important to remember that it’s not about us, even if it feels personal. It’s about their emotions—they might be overwhelmed, frustrated, or misunderstood, possibly lacking the words to articulate their feelings.

A Simple Framework

Before we delve into the silent treatment specifically, let’s talk about a simple framework that can guide us in reacting to confounding behaviors in a helpful way. This framework is based on giving our children the benefit of the doubt and asking two questions:

1. What’s going on in the environment?
2. What skills does my child need to deal with the environment?

This framework won’t guarantee perfect solutions, but it will keep you in reasonably good stead when confronted with confusing beh