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1 in 4 adults will experience anxiety in the course of a lifetime.  

What about kids? Current statistics are that 1 in 7 aged between 4 and 17 will be diagnosed with a mental health illness. And half of those have anxiety disorders. 

Are the increasing numbers of anxious parents causing this increase in anxious kids? 

We know from our own experience that concern over our children impacts on our ability to work and perform well in the rest of our lives. So today’s episode features two special guests, Michael Grose and Dr Jodi Richardson, who have just co-authored the book “Anxious Kids – How children can turn their anxiety into resilience”. 

If the name Michael Grose is familiar to you it’s because he’s one of Australia’s leading parenting and educational writers having authored 10 books. He is most well known for the book “Why First Borns Rule the World”. 

Dr Jodi Richardson is a well-being expert, speaker and educator who specialises in helping parents and teachers raise happier more relaxed and resilient kids. With over 9 years of university study and over 20 years of professional work in wellbeing, clinical practice and education, and a mum of two, she is a great source of advice 

This was a great interview full of really valuable information about anxiety, referred to by Michael as the “common cold of mental illness”. We talk about what it is. How we can deal with it. And how to manage it when it’s our kids who are experiencing it. 

Highlights from the episode include: 

• The essential fact that children learn patterns of behaviour from their parents and respond to the emotions of their parents, like when babies can’t settle in the arms of a distressed mother. 
• The importance of looking after yourself. The need to share your feelings with your child so that you can model the right behaviour and show them that anxiety is manageable. 
• Learning to “respond” to a child’s anxiety issue rather than “respond”. 
• When anxiety changes from being normal to being a disorder. 
• Needing to accept a level of discomfort rather than perpetuating problems by using avoidant behaviour. 
• The “Anxiety Dance”. Activator. Behaviour. Consequence. Dance. 
• How to manage separation anxiety. 
• Techniques for managing anxiety such as social storytelling where before an event you tell the story of what is going to happen in order to prepare yourself/your child.  
• The importance of teaching children to be adaptable and spontaneous. 

 Links mentioned in this episode:  

• You can find out more about the book “Anxious Kids” and purchase a copy at www.parentingideas.com.au
• Find out more about Jodi at: https://drjodirichardson.com.au/
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 Happy juggling!