All of our kids have anxiety. And it presents differently in each of them. Some people might think that because I have suffered from anxiety since the day I was born, according to my parents, that it means I am well prepared to help my kids navigate their lives with anxiety. The truth is, sometimes I don’t even recognize right away that one of their behaviors is anxiety related.
It’s the same for me. Anxiety began to present very differently after I had my babies. PPA (post partum anxiety) was a beast I was unprepared to encounter. It presented in a more physical way, with actual physical symptoms that perplexed even my doctors.
With my kids, as they grow and experience new things, anxiety evolves as well. Navigating the preteen years with our oldest I can see his social anxiety present along with his tendency towards defiance. So I’m realizing that while some of the behaviors are typical for a preteen, some may need to be addressed from a mental health perspective. Our younger preteen also has physical symptoms at times. And our toddler I am honestly still trying to figure out from minute to minute, because, toddlers…
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