Raising the 'anxious generation':

As economic pressures build and global tensions simmer, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the steady stream of troubling headlines. These pressures often fall most heavily on the shoulders of parents.

So how can parents and carers look after themselves, support the kids and young people in their lives and stay grounded when the world around them feels increasingly… complex?

Contact sat down with Professor Vanessa Cobham and Associate Professor Michael Noetel from the School of Psychology to talk about how parents can nurture resilience at home and keep moving forwards even when things feel unsteady.

What impact does anxiety have on how we parent? 

Professor Cobham:

Anxiety can have a major impact on the way we parent. It has the potential to make us:

• Over-protective
• More likely to rescue our kids when we see them struggle with situations or feelings (like anxiety or sadness)
• Under-estimate their ability to cope

Particularly in combination, these parenting behaviours can have the effect of reducing our kids’ opportunities for being able to cope with situations that feel challenging, and feelings that are uncomfortable and hard.

What advice do you have for parents who are struggling to maintain their own mental health in the face of economic and political turmoil – let alone their kids'?

Professor Cobham:

As parents, we need to be doing well enough in ourselves to be able to be the kind of parent we want to be for our kids. It’s that old cliche of the oxygen mask on the aeroplane – we need to help ourselves before we can help other people. It’s important – and in the best interests of your kids – to look after your own mental health.

Doing this also sends some important messages to your children: it normalises the fact that everyone struggles with uncomfortable emotions at times and it sets an example of asking for help when you need it.

Here is some tangible advice to help you cope in a world currently experiencing substantial turmoil:

• Consider reaching out to your social support networks and talking to trusted friends and family members
• Think about the things you do to settle yourself and regulate your emotions, like exercise. Try to incorporate these things into your routine. This also has the benefit of setting a good example for your kids
• Think about your media consumption – if news is negatively impacting your mental health, consider placing limits on how much news you consume

How does news and media consumption contribute to our kids’ anxiety?

Associate Professor Noetel:

There's reasonable evidence that some news consumption can be harmful for kids. A systematic review including over 20 studies on children and young people found that children who watched media coverage of disasters showed posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety and sleep problems, even when the events happened on the other side of the world. 

Younger children are especially vulnerable because they respond to scary images and sounds rather than abstract context, so they can't put what they see in perspective.

I would suggest that children gain far more from experiencing awe and wonder at the universe, and hearing important lessons from history, than from keeping up with the day's headlines. 

Are we really raising an ‘anxious generation’, and what can we do to raise resilient kids?

Professor Cobham:

We know that prevalence rates for clinically significant anxiety problems are higher for this generation of young people. However, it can be hard to disentangle the impact of our increased recognition and identification of these problems.

 In my view, anxiety levels across young people in general probably are higher. The comparisons with others that are inherent to most young people’s social media use likely contributes to this anxiety.

What’s your number one parenting tip in this difficult climate?

Professor Cobham:

If you want to increase the chance of your child or young person talking to you about what’s going on for them, prioritise listening rather than giving them advice or trying to fix the issue. Try to make it as clear as you can that you’re interested in what’s going on with them and that you’re around and available to talk. 

 Sometimes just being together in the same space, like while watching a show or doing some colouring, is a good way to let your child or young person know that you’re there. Especially with teenagers, talking might not be what they want from you. Take your cues from your child or young person.

Resources for those noticing anxiety creeping in at home:

• Momentum offers anxious children and young people tailored online programs designed to help them cope with these feelings.
• For parents, there’s the free and research-backed Fear-Less Positive Parenting Program for parents of anxious kids and young people – founded at UQ.