Parenting will be the most rewarding and underpaid job you will ever do. Unfortunately parenting doesn't come with a parenting manual. When you add anxiety and/or OCD into the mix, parenting can get pretty overwhelming. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
You like quiet. You like calm. You like a slow pace. Enter parenthood. Screaming children. Play dates. Birthday parties. Constant interaction. This can be beyond overwhelming for an introverted parent. But what if that was just the beginning? What if that little bundle of joy was an extroverted bundle of friendliness? What if your introverted self gave birth to a foreign species. A species you know nothing about?
Often when I ask kids what they do to beat anxiety they will say things like…
I try to get my mind off it
I distract myself
I take deep breaths (honestly I think they just say that because they think that is the “right” answer)
The one thing I almost never hear is…
I beat anxiety by changing my thoughts.
Now I know that isn’t earth shattering information, and yet most kids aren’t doing this one powerful, but simple thing.
There is nothing worse than watching your child starve to death. It can creep up slowly or happen overnight. Meals are missed. Favorite foods are no longer favored. Plate after plate, meal after meal goes untouched. Perhaps initially you chalk it up to “picky eating” but then you realize it is something much more. Welcome to the world of Avoidant/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, also known as ARFID.
My name is Natasha Daniels and I am a Child Therapist and mother to three vibrant, challenging and insightful children who keep me on my toes! I have spent the last thirteen years working with children and families in my private practice Hill Child Counseling.
Kids are my passion – especially anxious kids and kids with OCD. Having been an anxious kid and now raising three anxious kids of my own, I get anxiety and OCD on a very personal level. I have dedicated my practice and my writing to helping kids with anxiety/OCD and their families.
I am the author of Anxiety Sucks! A Teen Survival Guide and How to Parent Your Anxious Toddler. I am the creator of AnxiousToddlers.com and AT Parenting Survival Courses for Anxiety and OCD. My work has been featured on various sites including Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and The Mighty.
I am humbled to have millions of parents, therapists and educators visit my site each year. The more education we can spread about childhood mental health, the better all our children will do!
I am an active member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and have attended both the Behavior Therapy Training Institute’s (BTTI) general advanced OCD training and their pediatric advanced training taught by the top OCD researchers in the field. I also remain active with The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).
Follow my work and subscribe to my podcast, my Youtube Channel and my weekly E-mail Newsletter. Join me in my Private Facebook Group for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD.
