Pardon the Mess

July 23, 2020

Ep. 3.33 : Identifying anxiety, panic, and fear in our kids with Ken Wilgus

Feeling anxious?

You’re not alone. Studies indicate that over a third of Americans report feelings of anxiety and depression as COVID-19 numbers continue to spike. There’s no playbook for how to navigate life in a pandemic. It can leave us (and our kids) feeling discouraged as we ponder the future.

But even without the stress of a pandemic, our kids face varying degrees of fear and anxiety throughout their lives, critical topics for all parents to consider.

Ken Wilgus is a licensed psychologist who specializes in the treatment of adolescents and their families. He’s joining us today to talk about parenting our kids through fear and anxiety. May I just say, you’re not going to want to miss a second of this!

Here are some of the areas we cover:

The difference between fear, anxiety, and panic
Identifying when our kids are struggling with anxiety
The physical components of panic
Unhelpful things parents do
The genetic components of anxiety and recognizing it in our own lives
Healthy coping mechanisms when our kids are fearful or anxious
Practical tips to prevent fear and anxiety before they occur

A friend sent me the link to Dr. Wilgus’ discussion on this topic, published on his podcast, Feeding the Mouth That Bites You. I knew it was just the word we need as we begin to think about back-to-school and all it entails.

I can’t wait for you to hear Dr. Wilgus today. And I have a feeling that you may even want the teens in your life to listen as well. (I know I did!)