Anxiety Coping Techniques

[jack5k]

Just joined Mumsnet....late developer. My 9 year old daughter has a lot of worries and anxiety. Recently she's started getting the school bus home once a week to give her more independence, however she makes herself sick worrying it will leave without her (which it won't). All the books on anxiety in children seem to be American. Anyone recommend a book or helpful tips that have worked for them?

Hi have a look at books for NLP for children, there are some really nice techneques thag might help.

Hi!I suffer from anxiety and I can well imagine how upsetting it must be for you to see her distress.
I imagine that you have looked at Mind and No More Panic already.The School Nurse would be a good point of contact for you both as they deal with a wide range of issues.

Also talking to another sympathetic adult(school nurse)would greatly help as sometimes it is easier to express your fears to others and not those closest to you.

Your local library should have a self help section for adults as well as for kids, I would get her to look at some books and maybe order from library ones you don't know to try before you buy?

Also if it happens whilst waiting for bus then simple distraction may help. You need something that takes some effort (so actually distracts) and that isn't going to raise lots of other emotions. It'll be trial and error to find what works but could be things like listening to music, sudoku puzzles, playing with phone or something similar using hands (cats cradle anyone?), looking for things that begin with certain letters...doesn't matter what but time spent doing that means she isn't spending time getting more worried.

Thanks all.
distraction does work to a point....had dance exams at weekend and kept her distracted but then when she remembers it hits like a truck.
The anxiety disappears shortly before the event, so it's more the anticipation.
Will try your ideas and feedback.

The missing the bus thing is an 'either or' disaster scenario in her head. Either she catches the bus or she will be left isolated from her friends far from home (type of thoughts).

So if you give her other options that will help rationalise the fear so she has a safety net of options. If she misses the bus she can call you and you will collect her, or send a taxi, or get a friend she knows to collect her.