"Mean World" Syndrome
By GalTime Parenting Pro, Michele Borba, Ed.D.
Terrorism. War. School shootings. Pedophiles. Recession. Suicide bombings. Cyberbullying. Kidnappings. Killer floods. Global warming. Earthquakes and tsunamis.
Let's face it; we live in frightening times. But if you are feeling a bit jittery about current events or a troubled economy, imagine how our kids must feel. Talk of uncertain times permeates the world around them. Television images of real disasters reinforce their fears.
Make no mistake: the image of the world as a mean and scary place is affecting our kids' well-being. I recently worked with the schools in a glorious Norman Rockwell-type community in Pennsylvania. Picture perfect. Idyllic. Just plain wonderful. I spent time talking to a group of students, as I always do before addressing the parents, community and staff. It's my way of getting a pulse on teen concerns.
Related: Detecting Stress in Kids
I always ask the principals to give me a sample of students, so the focus group represents all genders, races, cliques, economics. I end up with a homecoming princess, a jock, a band kid, a theater student, a student council leader, a misfit. Kids. Just kids. And do they ever open up when they know someone is there to really listen.
"What are your concerns?," I ask. And the teens begin to share their worries:
"My grades." "I don't know if I'll get the scholarship." "I don't want to let my parents down." "Peer pressure." "I don't know if I'll get into college."
"And what are your worries outside of this town?," I asked. "What concerns you about the world?"
The kids are in non-stop mode now and I'm running out of space just trying to jot down their concerns:
"Iraq." "Iran." "Global warming." "Terrorism." "Violence." "Prejudice." "Recession." "Getting a job." "Our future."
Their "worry list" goes on and on. Then one boy stops us all with his question:
"Do you think we'll ever live to see the future?," he asks quietly. "I worry about that a lot. I don't think our generation will."
The look on every teen's face says it all. Each has the same concern.
We think kids don't think about such "big" worries. Wrong. A survey conducted by MTV and The Associated Press of over 1300 teens nationwide found that only 25 percent feel safe from terrorism.
Related: Learning to Talk "Teen" As a Second Language
The vast majority of teens admitted that their world is far more difficult than the world their mom or dad grew up in. In the 1950s, a survey found that our children's biggest fears were loud noises, snakes, insects, and a parent's death. Fast forward fifty years later. The most pressing kid stressor is still a parent's death, but "violence" has now replaced loud noises and snakes.
But the biggest fear many teens report today: "I'll never live to see the future."
It hurts just to hear their top concern.
Constantly hearing about troubling world events does more than just increase children's anxiety. It also alters their view of their world.
Many child experts are concerned that today's children are developing what is called "Mean World Syndrome." It means our children perceive their world as a mean and scary place.
Of course, we can't always protect our kids and assure their safety, but we can help allay those fears and help them see their world in a more positive light. Studies have shown that about 90 percent of all anxious children can be greatly helped by learning coping skills.
Related: Just HOW Stressed Are Our Kids?
Here are a few parenting strategies you can use to help reduce your kids' anxiety and help them develop a more positive outlook about their world.
Look for marked and sudden changes from your child's normal behavior. Trouble sleeping is often a red flag for anxiety.
1. Tune Into Your Child
Start by observing your child a bit closer when a frightening event occurs. For instance: Is your child afraid to be left alone or of being in dark or closed places? Does he have difficulty concentrating or is he excessively irritable? Does she react fearfully to sudden noses, revert to immature behavior patterns, act out or have tantrums, or nightmares? Is he bedwetting, withdrawing, crying excessively, or experiencing a change in eating or sleeping habits?
Each child copes differently, so tune into your child's behavior. Doing so will help you recognize how your son or daughter deals with life's pressures and know when you should help to reduce those worries.
Late-breaking news without an adult present to explain is a worry inducer, especially for middle school children.
2. Monitor Scary News
Limit your child's viewing of any news that features an alarming event (such as a kidnapping, pedophile, war footage, bombing, and of course, major natural disasters like what just happened in Japan, etc). Monitor. Monitor. Monitor! Studies show that seeing those violent images exacerbates anxiety and increases aggression in some kids.
Related: Getting Your Kids To Open Up and Talk To You
Don't assume because your kid is older, the news does not affect him. In a Time/Nickelodeon study, pre-adolescents said that TV news bulletins that interrupt regular programming are especially disturbing. They admitted being even more anxious if a parent wasn't there to help explain the event to them.
If your kids do watch the news, watch with them to answer their questions. Be there! Also, monitor also your conversation with other adults so your kid doesn't overhear your concerns.
3. Keep Yourself Strong
Don't expect to be able to help allay your kids' anxiety, unless you keep your own in check. Remember, you can tell your kids you're not worried about those world events or a troubled economy, but unless your behavior sends the same message your words have no meaning.
Our parenting priority must be to keep ourselves strong, so we can keep our kids' strong. That means we need to reduce our harried, hurried schedules and model calmness to our kids. Your kids mirror your behavior and will be calmer if you are calmer.
4. Be Emotionally Present and Available
Don't assume because your child isn't talking about the latest news tragedy or the recession, that he isn't hearing about it. Chances are he is and he needs to get the facts straight. You are the best source for that information. Your child also needs to know that it is okay to share his feelings with you and that it's normal to be upset.
You might start the dialogue with a simple: "What have you heard?" or "What are your friends saying?"
You don't need to explain more than your child is ready to hear. What's most important is letting your child know you are always available to listen or answers his concerns.
5. Do Something Proactive As a Family
One of the best ways to reduce feelings of anxiety is to help kids find proactive ways to allay their fears. It also empowers kids to realize they can make a difference in a world that might appear scary or unsafe.
Related: Why Parents Need to Start Those 'Grown Up' Talks Sooner
Put together a "care package" to send to a soldier overseas (sunscreen, writing paper and pens, CDs, magazines and a hand-written note of appreciation). Adopt an elderly neighbor and bring her a batch of homemade cookies. Or have your kids help you send "hugs" (a teddy bear, crayons, coloring book) to a child who has just lost all her earthly possessions in a flood, tornado, fire or other natural disaster.
6. Pass on Good News Reports
Draw your child's attention to stories of heroism and compassion - those wonderful simple gestures of love and hope that people do for one another. Find those uplifting stories and share them with your child. It's important to assure your children that there's more to the world than threats and fear.
7. Teach Anxiety-Reducing Techniques
Anxiety is an inevitable part of life but, in times like these, those worries can be overwhelming. Here are just a few techniques you can help your child learn to use to cope with worries:
• Self-talk. Teach your child to say a statement inside her head to help her stay calm and handle the worries.
Here are a few:
"Chill out, calm down."
"I can do this."
"Stay calm and breathe slowly."
"It's nothing I can't handle."
"Go away worry. You can't get me!"
• Worry melting. Ask your kid to find the spot in his body where he feels the most tension; perhaps his neck, shoulder muscles, or jaw. He then closes his eyes, concentrates on the spot, tensing it up for three or four seconds, and then lets it go. While doing so, tell him to imagine the worry slowly melting away. Yoga or deep breathing exercises seem to be helpful for girls.
• Visualize a calm place. Ask your kid to think of an actual place he's been where he feels peaceful. For instance: the beach, his bed, grandpa's backyard, a tree house. When anxiety kicks in, tell him to close his eyes, imagine that spot, while breathing slowly and letting the worry fly slowly away.
Final Thoughts:
These are tough times for everyone-but especially for our kids.
Anxious kids are two to four times more likely to develop depression, and as teens are much more likely to become involved with substance abuse.
Anxiety symptoms are showing up in kids as young as three years.
If your child shows signs of anxiety for more than a few weeks or if you're concerned, don't wait. Seek professional help. Please.
Now take three slow deep breaths. What's your first step to help your family?
More from GalTime.com
