Anxiety is a common part of our normal mental health function and often is a temporary mental health concern. In children, anxiety can arise out of life and family changes, introduction to a new school environment, or may be related to the onset of a health condition (Fontana 101-103). If your child seems to suffer from acute anxiety or complications with chronic and recurring anxiety, it is important to consider alternative forms of therapy including the use of home reading.
Reading as a Pasttime
Reading, for many children, is a favorite pastime that provides rest, relaxation, education, and can be entertaining. For children with mental health complications, the use of reading can be effective at alleviating the mental health disorder by providing an escape from the reality in which they live. As the parent of a child who has anxiety, of any type, reading may be the one natural cure that you have been looking for.
Escaping Reality
While reading is not a sole remedy for children who have anxiety, it can provide a source of relaxation and distraction from whatever circumstance may be causing your child’s anxiety to develop (Fontana 79). While some parents are inclined to provide books about a topic that is troubling to a child, this may not always be necessary to help your child alleviate anxious feelings. Instead, find books that are interesting and topical to your child’s age as this is often a great escape from reality and provides a way in which your child can relax.
Best Places to Read
Where your child reads is almost as important as the topics your child is reading. Finding a place of comfort, where your child feels secure, is always ideal. For most children, this will involve reading on the couch, at the dining room table, or in their bed. Wherever your child feels most at ease, reading topics of their choosing, should be the primary option provided. By providing this form of relaxation, your child will resolve their anxiety on their own and carry this coping skill into adulthood.
Anxiety, for most children, is temporary and acute in nature. While medications and psychotherapy may be effective for your child’s symptoms, using simple relaxation techniques at home may be more useful. Before turning to more advanced and traditional forms of mental health treatment, consider providing your child with a quite and comfortable reading environment, with books that are engaging and entertaining (Fontana 79). In doing so, you’ll find that your son or daughter is a more relaxed individual and more willing to accept new adventures and circumstances in their lives.
Sources: Fontana, David. Teaching Meditation to Children. Element Books Ltd. 1997. Print