When my daughter started kindergarten all our dreams came true for her. She attended an amazing school, she had an awesome teacher, and she made some wonderful friends. She was way more outgoing than we thought she’d be. She had absolutely no problems at all (except liking to go socialize in the bathroom too much!). The summer before 1st grade was smooth too. We swam almost every day and had lots of fun.
I finally realized and came to terms that she was experiencing some anxiety. It was only after realizing this and doing some research that we discovered a few tips and tricks that have worked for us. I am by no means an expert. I can only explain what we did/do to help ease the anxiety of my daughter.
*Make mental notes or write down behaviors your child is experiencing. Do the behaviors happen at school or home? Write it down and compare. You might be able to figure out the root of the anxiety.
*How much sleep is your child getting? Not enough? Try adding a sleeping machine or white noise.
*Talk to the Counselor at School or Dr: I did call the school counselor in our situation. She was able to talk to my daughter’s teachers and my daughter personally to discuss school. You never know if there is some kind of bullying going on our stress about school.
*Sugar: Is your child eating too much sugar? Are they having dessert or a sweet treat right before bed? Too much sugar can keep your brain moving and you’ll have a hard time falling asleep. It’s better to limit the sugar intake during the day. Save it for a special treat!
*TV/Screen Time. Is your child watching too much tv? Limit the screen time, especially before bed. We started cutting back on her screen time. TV and games can be overstimulating. It’s hard for adults to go to bed with TV’s!
*Exercise: Make sure your child is getting some sort of physical exercise. Physical activity is good for the body. Try doing some yoga. I’ve been doing this with my daughter and she really likes it!
*Make their Room Nighttime Ready: We keep a very consistent routine at nighttime and that’s important. At bedtime it’s diffusing oils, books, sound machine, and lights out! I discovered the use of essential oils (like lavender) that help ease my daughter into a more peaceful sleep.
Now we’re almost at the end of 1st grade. We’re down to 40ish days and things are going much better. Maybe it’s the light at the end of the tunnel and summer is almost here? Maybe she’s finally growing out of this ‘phase’? All I know is that it’s been very rough and emotional. If your child does experience anxiety and after some trials it’s not any better I would encourage you to discuss this with your child’s Dr. Also, have some talks with your child. Don’t let this fester and get bigger. It’s better to stay on top of it!
Do you have any tips for calming kids that are anxious?
Jebbica says
Hey, Shannon! Thanks for commenting on my blog. I am gonna add you to my blogroll so I can keep up with your adventures! If you post any food or fitness-related posts at all, I am having my first linkup party tomorrow! I hope you will come submit one of your links!
Daily Momtivity says
So glad to find you!! I did link up on Friday 🙂