Raising Good Humans S2 Ep 36: Anxiety may be as contagious as Omicron: Helping Our Kids When We Have Our Own Anxiety to Reckon With
Jan 7, 2022
Dr. Harold Koplewicz, a leading child and adolescent psychiatrist, shares insights on managing children's anxiety, especially heightened during COVID. He discusses how parental anxiety can affect kids and emphasizes the importance of modeling bravery. Koplewicz advocates for resilience-building through allowing children to fail and developing clear family plans to ease uncertainty. He also highlights the need for effective mental health communication and practical tools for parents, ensuring they have strategies for nurturing their child's emotional wellbeing.
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Let Kids Fail To Build Resilience
- Resist rescuing children from normal failures and allow age-appropriate setbacks to build resilience.
- Use structured support with empathy but avoid over-sympathizing or over-cheerleading to encourage independence.
Grandson Gets Back In The Race
- Harold Koplewicz described racing his three-and-a-half-year-old grandson who fell but kept running and smiling.
- The story illustrated natural resilience when children recover and continue trying after minor injuries.
Empathize Without Flooding
- Show empathy without collapsing into parental distress; apologize when you overreact but don't make your child comfort you.
- Use calm problem-solving and reassurance rather than modeling panic or excessive worry.