How to Help Your Child With Worry and Anxiety: Activities and conversations for parents to help their 4-11-year-old

by Lauren Callaghan

From the expert mind of psychologist Lauren Callaghan comes a manual written specifically for parents and carers of children and teenagers coping with anxiety, worry, OCD and panic attacks. 
 

This complete guide for your family provides a user-friendly blueprint for mental health support and recovery. Combining real-life experiences with Lauren’s wisdom, expertise and compassionate approach, this innovative self-help book can be used by parents and carers as they aim to support and guide loved ones to a place of recovery, and beyond. It is a complete manual with user-friendly advice, support and tips for mental health support, using relatable examples and accessible language throughout.

Genres: Parenting

160 pages, Paperback

Published July 6, 2021

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything that can help my parenting, is a win! This book was super helpful and a great starting place for learning about kids mental health. The author starts with definitions of worry, anxiety, depression and other psychological clinical terms relating to kids... Well really everyone. Then she moves into what anxiety, worry, fear looks like manifested in kids with practical examples of situations and how to help. There's some limited info about parenting kids with mental health in mind, positive parenting techniques, etc. The last half of the book was specific activities, phrases to use in helping kids recognize, and work through any level of anxiety.

Something I learned: every single living person has anxiety. Its the level of anxiety that differs. And those levels are dependent on a number of factors: genetics, personality, parental modeling and specific situations.

I Think this would be a great addition to any parents library as everyone can stand to learn a little bit more about mental health.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Help Your Child With Worry and Anxiety is written by Lauren Callaghan, a clinical psychologist, researcher and family therapist.

The book does what it says on the tin. It’s comprehensive but accessible for every parent with a child aged between 4-11. The chapters are short and succinct, making it a quick read, but each chapter filled with useful information. Clear boundaries are drawn between situations the book can help with, and others where further medical help needs to be sought.

The first part of the book deals with background information on the difference between anxiety and worry, how children experience them and their thought processes during times of worry.

The second part focuses on techniques taken from cognitive behavioural therapy to help your anxious child. These are bite sized activities that you can put in to practice straight away. There are activities that can be used day to day or in the moment when your child is anxious. Both types of activities are adaptable to the child’s age and there is a huge selection so there will be something to appeal to each family.

I have two children in the age range the book specifies. Both are deep thinkers and prone to worry. Like many parents, I’ve seen anxiety levels increase during COVID-19. Since receiving a copy of the book, we have tried a number of the activities and they have proved effective, particularly the worry bus - especially if we can throw the worry off the bus in a funny way. It’s a book I will refer to time and time again as my children grow up. It’s a must have for any parent.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Wellbeck balance for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me begin this review by saying I've never done self help books. Not my thing at all. But browsing Netgalley I spotted this and honestly it could not have come at a better time. My daughter has been suffering massively with anxiety recently, and whilst her school are excellent at dealing with any sort of mental health issue I've floundered a bit despite having suffered myself literally all my life. I was worried this would bog me down a little but the first great thing about this is it is not a long book. It's to the point, no waffle. Brilliant!
The second great thing is how reassuring it is. I have felt to blame, perhaps projecting my own anxieties. Whilst this book does point to hereditary issues it couldn't be more direct in reassuring both myself and my partner blame is a bad idea!
And third, most importantly for me, it really is helpful to help us understand why this is happening and how to help. It plainly says it isn't a cure all but instead helps us to understand how to manage anxiety, not expect to cure it.
After the events of the past year I know lots of kids struggling and will be recommending this to lots of fellow parents and carers.

[Adam Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having young a young child who has had to deal with a lot over the last 12-18 months with being in and out of school, I requested this to see if it would help. And to be honest, it was a great help and tool to help my wife and I to deal with all the emotions and struggle they were having.

If your child is/has suffered from anxiety, then please get hold of a copy of this book as it is a wonderful guide.

I was provided a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for this honest review.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very short and to the point - which is helpful. My main takeaways were mostly around how all feelings are normal and helpful guides, and sharing them helps us learn.

I didn’t feel like I got a lot out of it, but what I did was pretty meaningful.

[And actually, the book I got was titled “ How to Help Your Child with Worry & Anxiety: Activities and Conversations to help your 4 to 11 year old” - but it came up as this book. ]

[Jodine · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.co.uk in return for an honest review***

A great book with lots of practical advice to help parents/carers deal with children suffering with worry and anxiety. A very helpful read, especially given the events of the last 18 months.

[Gem ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good practical advice with CBR exercises to follow

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely easy to read book with practical tips. I have read a bit on anxiety for my son but still found some new things here.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I'd had this book 8 years ago, but I'm thrilled parents have this resource now.
If I could recommend just one book to a fellow parent/teacher, it would be this.
Clear and concise, gentle, concrete things to try to improve an anxious child's life.