When is it Time to Intervene?
You know it’s time to intervene, says Cadieux, when your child’s anxiety is interfering with their ability to function at school, at home, or socially.
“For example, if getting your child to school each day has become a combat zone, it’s time to intervene,” says Cadieux.
Additionally, if your child seems to be struggling in school, withdrawing from friends or activities, or generally having a difficult time, you should consider intervening.
How to Help Your Anxious Middle Schooler
Find an undistracted time (in the car, at dinner, or at bedtime) to talk to your child and ask how they’re feeling. But don’t just talk: Being a good listener is vital.
“Try to avoid dismissing the feeling or telling your child they shouldn’t feel that way,” Cadieux recommends. “Acknowledge their feelings. Maybe even repeat what you heard them say so that your child knows you understand.”
If you have tried everything you can think of, and really aren’t sure what to do, it’s time to reach out for additional help, says Cadieux. You can contact a therapist, your pediatrician, or a school counselor.
For Daisy’s daughter, starting therapy, combined with anxiety medication, has been very helpful, and her mom has started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Anxiety may be something she will always have to manage,” says Daisy, “but I am hopeful.”