A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Anxiety & Supporting Self-Regulation

Anxiety is a normal part of growing up, but sometimes worry can become so frequent or intense that it begins to interfere with a child’s ability to function at school, at home, socially, or emotionally.

This parent-friendly guide helps families better understand the difference between everyday worry and anxiety that may require additional support. Using an easy-to-understand 1–5 anxiety scale, parents can recognize changes in intensity, frequency, and daily functioning.

The guide includes:

• Common signs of anxiety in children and adolescents, including excessive worry, avoidance, physical complaints, difficulty concentrating, sleep changes, irritability, perfectionism, reassurance-seeking, and panic symptoms.

• Ways parents can support self-regulation through validation, calm communication, healthy routines, connection, modeling, and encouragement.

• Practical coping skills children can practice, including breathing, movement, grounding, positive self-talk, and identifying a calming space.

• Guidance on when to seek additional help, particularly when anxiety becomes persistent, increasingly difficult to manage, or begins interfering with school, relationships, activities, sleep, eating, or everyday life.

The goal isn't to eliminate every uncomfortable feeling. Instead, we can help children learn to recognize their emotions, understand what their bodies are telling them, develop healthy coping strategies, and know when to reach out for support.

When children feel safe, supported, and understood, they can learn to face life's waves with greater confidence.

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