From The Anxiety Project - (NSW Primary Principal's Association Inc.)

You're probably already aware that today's Australian children are more anxious in comparison to previous generations.

Many people think that children have become more anxious as a result of the pandemic, however, child anxiety has been problematic for over a decade. The good news is, most childhood anxiety is treatable not only by psychologists, but by significant adults in their lives like parents and teachers.

While The Anxiety Project being implemented in our school can't fix all child anxiety it does provide strategies for the key adults to use to stop anxiety from becoming worse.

"A child's anxiety will not usually fix itself. Unless something changes, it will tend to worsen. However, the good news is that seemingly-modest interventions delivered by significant adults can make a difference and turn that progression around."

Michael Hawton -  MAPS Psychologist

Some facts about childhood anxiety:

• Most anxiety is learned. Yes, you read that right; it's mostly a set of learned habits. The good news about anything that is learned is that these habits can be changed.
• Children can learn 'return-to-calm' skills that can help them overcome their anxiety. while this is not often taught, children equipped with these well-researched skills can build resilience under their own steam.
• Children can be taught how to be the 'boss' of their anxiety and with each successful attempt at doing this, they can become emotionally stronger and manage their anxiousness.
• A child's anxiety will tend to get worse across over time, if it's not attended to early.
• Mentors, teachers and parents are important trainers of children's emotional wellbeing, and it is not as hard as you think to change the trajectory of childhood anxiety.

TAP Student Lessons

Our classes are well on their way through TAP lessons and at all levels have learnt about their amydala and its role of processing emotions in the brain, particularly fear and anxiety. Children are learning how they can work to calm their own amygdalas by taking control and employing calming techniques.

TAP Parent Development Course

We wish to extend our thanks to all parents that attended our first TAP Parent Development Course session last Monday. This session was a great introduction to Anxiety and how parents and educators can significantly alter the impact of anxiety on children.

Last Monday we explored:

1. The importance of parents assisting their children to reach maturity over their childhoods
2. The importance of fostering an internal locus of control
3. Identifying reasons to NOT use reassurance when they notice their child behaving anxiously
4. Parent behaviours that may contribute to a reduction in anxiety and an improvement in resilience
5. That for children to become resilient they must experience some difficulties
6. The difference between fear and anxiety
7. Brain development and how calming techniques can improve with age and strengthened with the right practice

TAP Parent Information Sessions

We encourage all parents to engage their children in conversations about their learning in this area and to consider attending one of our TAP Parent Information offerings detailed below.

Please note: All welcome, at any session!

For those parents who would like to know more about anxiety, and supports for their families, who are unable to attend the TAP Child Development Course you are invited to register for...

We look forward to working together during this journey!