Everyone has worries. It is hard to exist without them. Some of us are good at talking about worries, visualising our worries, putting them into perspective and rationalising them, whilst some of us aren’t. Some of us think about our worries, make them bigger than they are and they consume us. Parents want their children to talk about their worries and help them see they can feel good, think and do differently if they choose to.
When your child expresses a worry, help them to identify the core worry and start to help them focus on overcoming it. Visualisation is a great way to focus on a worry positively and help prepare for all eventualities.
Talking About Worries With Your Child
For example, if your child is worrying about their tests, find out what it is they’re most worried about and try to address the issues.
- Is it because they find the subjects tricky or is it the teacher’s response if they don’t do well that worries them?
- Help them see that they have to do the tests and can only do their best.
- How can they prepare differently for them?
- How can they relax and not worry beforehand?
- Get them to imagine what it would be like when they do well or have finished their tests. How would they feel?
- Help them think of all the things they will have more time for once revision is over. Give them something to look forward to at the end.
Visualisation and imagery can be quite powerful and, with practice, it can work. It can help the worry become smaller. Be there to talk them through and help your children to develop this key life skill. Talking about worries is so important. We don’t want children bottling them up inside.
If your child doesn’t want to talk to you, or you find that you don’t know how to broach worries, then life coaching for children and teens can definitely help. Feel free to give me a call to find out how.
