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This book is written on an easy-to-get level even though it addresses some tough topics. I love the personal stories that are easy to relate to and the exercises to do with your child are really helpful to implement the strategies instead of just learning about them.
Nervousness, anxiousness are natural emotions, but they need not be a lifestyle. "Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents" is a guide for parents of children who are facing common childhood fears. These fears, while normal, can be dealt with; it is better to do so, since some fears can morph into lifelong phobias that could impede the child in grown life. Now in an updated second edition, "Helping Your Anxious Child" is well worth the read for the parents of any child who needs help dealing with their fears.
Although my daughter's doctor recommended this book, I didn't end up using it very much, because I found another one that I like better: What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety (What to Do Guides for Kids) by Dawn Huebner. Ms. Huebner's book pretty much gives you the same tools as this book, but explains the strategies in ways that my daughter can easily grasp. I showed the book to our doctor (he hadn't seen it before) and he thought it looked great.
I think this would be a highly useful book for parents of children 8 and older. There are activities for your child to do like rating their worry on a number scale that I felt were too abstract/advanced for my 4 year old. The general information about anxieties would be good for parents of children of any age.
Still, these techniques have been hard for me to translate in a useful way for a child this young. They are guided meditations, affirmations,relaxation and visualization techniques that are suitable for kids (and my wife and I have done them also). That being said, I as an adult have learned many tools such as Yoga and meditation techniques which have been incredibly helpful. I myself have had issues with anxiety my whole life so I'm sure much of the problems stem from hereditary. My 8 year old daughter has a lot of issues with anxiety. They have very relaxing, healing music and wonderful narration that helps these wonderful stories gently lead children to a more peaceful state of mind and overall being. Her CD's "Indigo Dreams", "Indigo Ocean Dreams" and "Indigo Teen Dreams" are produced with young children in mind as well as teenagers. One suggestion I have for those wishing to implement relaxation techniques for their children is to also look into the wonderful materials by Lori Lite.
Lite make it considerably easier for children to relate to. It is written in a way that anyone can use it, you don't need to be a therapist. Fortunately it hasn't gotten to the point where it's extreme but we want to give her tools so that it doesn't get that way. While the material in the book is certainly excellent, these CD's by Ms. This book has given me and my wife many tools to help with our daughter's anxiety issues and I am learning a lot to use for myself as well. The approach to realistic thinking is very realistic to implement. Plus they can be used to help your child sleep more soundly and can help them relax if they have bad dreams. The combination of the excellent book plus these CD's are wonderful tools to help you to help heal your anxious child.
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