Parenting is hard. Parenting kids with anxiety and panic attacks can feel overwhelming in ways you never imagined. When your child is struggling to breathe, shaking, or completely shutting down, your instincts kick in—but sometimes even love doesn’t feel like enough in those moments.
It’s so hard to see such beautiful souls suffer with such a debilitating mental condition. I love my babies and I am trying hard to understand anxiety and these attacks better to help them.
Our oldest kids struggle deeply with anxiety and panic attacks. At their worst, they feel like they can’t breathe, like their body is betraying them. Watching your child go through that and feeling powerless is one of the hardest parts of being a parent.
This is what we’ve learned, what we’ve tried, and what we do for Tyson and Brooke when anxiety takes over and they can’t function properly.
Understanding What Anxiety Looks Like in Kids
Anxiety doesn’t always look like fear. Sometimes it looks like:
- Anger or irritability
- Withdrawal or shutting down
- Crying over “small” things
- Avoidance of school, activities, or people
- Complaints of stomach aches, headaches, or trouble breathing
For Tyson and Brooke, panic attacks can hit suddenly. One moment they’re fine, and the next they feel like they can’t breathe or think clearly. In those moments, logic doesn’t work—because anxiety isn’t logical.
That understanding changed how we responded.
What We Do When Tyson and Brooke Can’t Function
When anxiety or a panic attack hits hard, our first goal is regulation, not correction.
Here’s what we do:
1. We Stay Calm (Even When We’re Scared)
Kids feed off our energy. If we panic, their panic escalates. Even when our hearts are racing, we speak slowly and calmly:
- “You’re safe.”
- “I’m right here.”
- “We’ll get through this together.”
2. We Focus on Breathing—Gently
When they feel like they can’t breathe, telling them to “just breathe” doesn’t help. Instead, we:
- Breathe with them
- Count slow breaths together
- Use grounding techniques like naming things they can see or feel
Sometimes we sit in silence. Presence matters more than words.
3. We Remove Pressure
When anxiety takes over, expectations disappear. Schoolwork, chores, conversations—none of it matters in that moment. Their nervous system needs time to reset.
Letting go of pressure has helped them recover faster and feel safer.
Steps We’ve Tried to Help Long-Term
Anxiety doesn’t disappear overnight, but these steps have helped us support our kids over time:
- Creating predictable routines so they know what to expect
- Teaching coping tools during calm moments, not during a panic
- Validating feelings instead of dismissing them
- Helping them name what they’re feeling so it feels less scary
- Encouraging rest and downtime without guilt
- Medications from their pediatrician
- Counselling
- Sour candies are supposed to help suppress panic attacks and anxiety attacks, we keep them on hand just in case.
Some things worked. Some didn’t. And that’s okay. Parenting kids with anxiety is a lot of trial and error.
The Power of Talking to Your Kids
One of the most important things we’ve learned is this:
Behavior is communication.
When Tyson or Brooke act out, shut down, or seem “off,” we’ve learned to ask why instead of reacting to what.
Talking to your kids—really talking—helps you understand:
- What triggered their anxiety
- What fears they’re holding inside
- What they need from you in those moments
Sometimes the conversations are uncomfortable. Sometimes they don’t have the words yet. But creating a safe space where they know they can talk without judgment has made all the difference.
What We Want Other Parents to Know
If you’re parenting a child with anxiety or panic attacks:
- You are not failing
- Your child is not being dramatic
- This is not something they can “just get over”
Your love, patience, and willingness to understand them matters more than having all the answers.
Some days are really hard. Some days feel hopeless. But every time you choose compassion, every time you sit with them in their fear, you are building trust—and that matters more than you know.
Final Thoughts
Anxiety may be part of our family’s journey, but it does not define our kids. Tyson and Brooke are strong, brave, and learning how to navigate a world that feels louder and scarier to them than most.
If you’re walking this road too, know this: you’re not alone. Keep listening. Keep learning. And keep showing up—even when it’s hard.
Because sometimes, being there is the most powerful thing you can do. ❤️
No comments:
Post a Comment