After more than a year of pandemic and online classes, for many kids, adjusting to social situations like attending school, family gatherings, or school events and activities can be a big challenge, even if they want to be.
What is Social anxiety in Children?
Social anxiety is a common problem that prevents children from developing a growth mindset. This fear of facing social situations is also one of the main reasons that stops children from trying new things and taking risks. Children with social anxiety often experience intense feelings of stress or anxiety and fear.
Children who suffer from social anxiousness avoid engaging in group activities with their peers to prevent negative scrutiny. However, the problems associated with social anxiety disorder run deeper and require special care, explains Vignan, one of the best schools in Madinaguda, Hyderabad.
Anxiety among children can be seen through several symptoms, including nausea, stomachaches, trembling, and difficulty speaking. They also tend to cry, freeze and cling to parents in social situations.
Have you noticed your child displaying the symptoms of anxiety? Don’t panic.Here are some strategies that can help children learn to overcome social anxiety.
6 Tips to help kids overcome the fear of social anxiety
If you feel that your kid is not just an introvert but also socially anxious, follow these ways to fight it effectively.
- Help kids identify their emotions.
The first step of helping the kids deal with social anxiety is identifying and expressing their emotions. Then, as a parent, offer a deep nurturing connection and talk to your child about how they can express feelings to work through negative emotions.
2. Teach them about social anxiety
Have open conversations with your kids about why anxiety exists to keep them safe. Ask them to admit when they are feeling nervous about doing something. Educate them on how being socially anxious impacts their thinking and behavior.
3. Prepare them before an event
When you know that such a situation is coming, which can trigger anxiety in your child, Vignan, one of the top CBSE schools, suggests you prepare them beforehand. Ask them to visualize the upcoming event and think of their appreciation for their efforts.
4. Instruct the methods of cognitive reframing
Kids with a social anxiety disorder are often overwhelmed with negative thoughts and beliefs that reinforce their anxiousness. Such children should learn to recognize their negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
5. Assist them with problem-solving skills
Children with social anxiety tend to avoid engaging in situations that aggravate their anxiety. But, it ends up making anxiety worse over time. Therefore, it is important to teach your kids to work through fear and anxiety by developing problem-solving skills.
6. Focus on progression
Vanishing social anxiety disorder from the young minds does not happen in a day or a month. It should be a gradual process where your focus needs to be their progress and not on perfection. Praise their efforts and motivate them to earn more of such victories ahead.
At Vignan, the top school in Telangana, we believe that it is ideally the joint responsibility of the school and parents to help children overcome the fear of anxiety. With this view, we provide our students with a consistently nurturing environment to help them get better with their fears and worries.
