We all care about what other people think on some level. But does your child stress over what people think? Do they worry people don’t like them? Does it consume them and make them socially anxious? Caring too much about what people think can impact their self-esteem and create mental health struggles like social anxiety. In this week’s Youtube video, I talk to kids and teens about how to overcome caring too much about what other people thin.
How to Help Our Kids with Social Anxiety Social anxiety isn’t about being an introvert. It isn’t about being shy. Yes, those attributes can coexist with social anxiety, but it doesn’t have to be present. Social anxiety is about the fear of rejection. It is about the concern that others will judge or criticize you. When we have social anxiety we let others define us. […]
How to Help a Child with Social Anxiety Social anxiety isn’t about not being able to make friends or keep friends. It is about the overwhelming feeling of judgment, criticism and rejection one feels. In this week’s podcast I chat with my 9 year old about her struggles with social anxiety (it runs in the family), and what has helped her make huge progress crushing […]
What are the Signs of Social Anxiety? It’s Often Not What People Think. Parents often miss the mark with social anxiety. They think it means a timid child, a shy child clinging to their pant legs or a child who lacks social skills. Although a child with social anxiety can have those attributes, that’s not what makes someone have social anxiety. In fact, you can […]
The Solution to Social Anxiety in Kids is Not what People Think I have spent 47 years with Social Anxiety Disorder. It is an ugly, devastating disorder that tears you down from the inside out. It can demolish any shred of self-esteem you have. It can paralyze and isolate you. But the solution to social anxiety is not what most people think. In fact, I […]
Helping Kids Who are Scared of Video Calls Our “new normal” is bringing with it some new fears. Most of our kids have been thrown into the world of video calls. Daily video sessions for school. Casual video calls with friends. Video family gatherings. Honestly, the list of video calls do not end. For many people this is a great consolation for not being able […]
Many anxious kids jump to extreme conclusions. They often take everything personally. A redirection is a yell. A suggestions is a criticism. A friend being busy, is a declaration that their friendship is over.
Many of our kids have a hard time being social with other kids. Some have social anxiety that makes them fear rejection and criticism. Others often feel too overwhelmed and depleted to be social. Unfortunately with the global shutdown, many kids are finding themselves even more isolated from their peers. School closures are limiting social connections and for those with social issues – the isolation is even more severe.
Helping Anxious Kids Who Feel Like Everybody is Staring at Them When you have anxiety, especially social anxiety, you can think the world is a stage. The minute you leave your house, you can feel like all eyes are on you. This can be an unsettling feeling to say the least. Now add hormones and normal childhood insecurities, and those feelings can feel like a […]
Helping Kids Who Think Everybody Hates Me! Do you find that no matter where you go or what your child is doing, they always say, “everybody hates me!” Perhaps it baffles you because you see your child talking to other kids. You see them laughing. You see people waving at them. They have friends to play with at recess. They are invited to birthday […]
Helping a Socially Anxious or Shy Kid Make New Friends I sat there quietly. Maybe it looked like I was sad, angry or annoyed. Regardless of how I looked, it definitely wasn’t friendly. But inside, my mind was shouting, “Talk to me! Smile at me! Do you want to be friends?” But other kids rarely approached me. I thought I was a shy kid, but […]
Helping Kids Who Worry About What Other People Think Are they staring at me? Are they texting back and forth…about me. Did I just see that kid whisper while looking at me? Does my hair look weird. Is she staring at my hair? Those girls walked by again. Are they circling around to stare at me one more time? Kids who worry about what other […]
Anxiety can wreak havoc over so many aspects of our children’s life. One area that sometimes gets overlooked is how anxiety impacts our children’s social skills.
Anxiety makes kids over analyze and doubt everything – including their social interactions!
Social Anxiety can make a child or teen feel unwanted, ignored and judged. I know this because I was that kid once. Heck, I was that grownup once. It’s not fun and it can completely destroy your outlook on life. So, how do you teach your child how to deal with Social Anxiety?
Having a child with Social Anxiety can be rough for the whole family. You might be dealing with a child who refuses to go to school. A child who spends much of their energy refusing to go places. A child who, if they could, would love to blend in with the wall.
