These sources of worry are found in many children aged 7 to 12, according to a recent study.
Nothing is more destabilizing for a parent than seeing their child anxious, especially when it disrupts their nights. These moments of helplessness are familiar to many parents, who do not always understand what causes this discomfort in their toddler. And it is often this uncertainty that eats away at them the most: not knowing how to help. A reality that pushed the English company BFB Labs, specializing in mental health, to do research into what causes anxiety in young children.
To obtain results, the experts used their new mental health app, Lumi Nova, and surveyed nearly 10,000 participants, aged 7 to 12. Their observations revealed five major anxieties that affect children from primary school onwards. Among them, two are linked to our current society since the Covid-19 health crisis. First, children are anxious about going to school.
For Manjul Rathee, founder of BFB Labs, “the increased emotional and mental health challenges and growing achievement gap since the pandemic, as well as the pressures created by social media” can make school “even more intimidating” today, he confided exclusively to our colleagues at HuffingtonPost UK. The second source of worry among young children is the fear of making mistakes, whether at school or in everyday life. Indeed, failure is particularly badly experienced by toddlers.
-In this scenario, parents have an essential role to play. For example, they can congratulate him for all the efforts he has made, especially if he has not achieved the objectives he had set for himself. “To push your child to try new things on their own, encourage them to challenge negative thoughts such as “I can’t do that” or “I’ll never be able to do it.” advises the specialist. The same for school, reassure him as soon as you can, and be there to listen to him if he wants to talk, in order to understand what is blocking him from the idea of going to class.
The other reasons are more common in children, but still remain very present in our time; the fear of the dark, of sleeping alone at night or of making new friends. Although they may seem trivial, it is important not to minimize them. Show your child that whatever the reason, you are there for them. By knowing he is supported, he will feel much less alone.
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