Stronger in the Struggle Help Your Child Manage Anxiety
Instead, reassure them that they can manage the outcome, regardless of what happens, and that all anyone expects is their best effort. If your child is worried about tryouts for a competitive team, it may help to talk through what might happen if their anxiety about failing comes true. Empower your child to embrace two seemingly conflicting realities — they may feel doomed to fail a test, but those feelings aren’t facts, and no one can foresee the future. Reassure them that if they practice managing their fears, staying calm and collected will become easier. And model healthy responses to your own anxieties, describing your coping mechanisms and self-care strategies. The responses children learn as youngsters are likely to stick with them into adulthood. Taking a thoughtful approach to teaching emotion regulation tools will go a long way toward instilling resilience, flexible thinking, and other hallmarks of good mental health.
Watching a child suffer anxiety is hard, and some children worry more than others. Some psychologists say smartphones, social media, and overprotective parenting have made it more difficult for an entire generation of youngsters today to manage their anxiety. Some 21% of kids ages 3–17 have been diagnosed with anxiety, public health data show. At its heart, anxiety is an inability to tolerate uncertainty and a lack of confidence in oneself to handle whatever happens. Gaining courage to face one’s fears and learning to endure unpleasant feelings without letting them control you are areas
where children can greatly benefit from a parent’s support and guidance.
If your child is prone to anxiety, it’s important to avoid the knee-jerk instinct many parents experience: to offer comfort and try to make things easier. Instead, acknowledge their nervousness and reassure them that feeling a little scared can be normal. Don’t engage in magical thinking by comforting your child with promises that they’ll pass a test, find countless new friends, or perform perfectly in a game or concert. And steer them away from comparing themselves with others, a habit that undermines their confidence.
Adoption Behind the Scenes Clearing Confusion About Rights and Timelines
Building a family through adoption is a journey full of hope and love, but it also comes with legal complexities and persistent misconceptions. November is National Adoption Awareness Month, the perfect time to celebrate families who welcome a child into their lives through adoption. It’s also an opportunity to shed light on the process and dispel common myths that can make it feel intimidating, like parental rights and the wait time. Here are two topics that come up most frequently about the legal steps. PARENTAL RIGHTS Many people who are interested in adopting have questions about what legal rights the birth parents may have. Specifically, some adopters are concerned the mother or father can take the child back at any time. Though it varies from state to state, once a parent puts their child up for adoption, they have a set amount
of time before they are legally permitted to surrender their parental rights. Once the court finalizes an adoption, the child is considered part of the adoptive family, and the birth family can’t regain custody of the child. In some cases, a birth mother may have a small window to change her mind called a revocation period, but it’s rare and has to happen early on. TIMELINE There are plenty of stories about adoptions taking years to actually come to fruition, scaring away potential parents. Adoptions are a lengthy process and can take six months to multiple years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how long you will wait. The time frame depends on several factors, like the type of adoption, the child’s age, and whether you are working with an attorney or agency. You’ll go through multiple background checks, home visits, and screenings during the process. You can reduce your wait
time if your preferences are open, you can work with the birth parents, and have a solid budget.
Adoption is a life-changing gift for children and their new families, but the process can feel overwhelming if you don’t have someone to guide you along the way. At Douglass & Runger, we can help ensure everything moves smoothly so you can focus on building lifelong memories with your loved ones. Contact us today.
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