We all worry. This can make seeking treatment for anxiety an uncertain choice. Extensive research on the subject of anxiety tells us that there is a range of worrying that is normal.
When it comes to children I believe that they need support if their worries are getting in their way.
Worries can range in severity from simple things such as not being able to go to a sleep over because they are overly anxious, to more overt worries such as anxiety attacks.
As a parent I am acutely aware of the fact that our own life experiences both as children ourselves and as parents may not have well-prepared us for guiding our children to mastering their anxiety. There may be times when our best intentions for our children do not serve them well in the long run, or our uncertainty about how to help them translates into inaction.
Thankfully there is a great deal of evidence that shows children (and adults) can learn effective ways to manage, control, and reduce their fears. The evidence also shows that the sooner they gain these skills the more successful they will be in their lifelong mastery over anxiety.
One of the things that I enjoy most in my first session with children is telling them that having so many worries tells me that they are super smart. It means they think a lot, and right now they are just putting a lot of their energy into worry thoughts. The good news is that the child has the power and intelligence to change those thoughts. From there we continue through developmentally-appropriate strategies to focus on empowering them to take control of their worries.