In our premiere episode of Graduating Anxiety, host Alex Merrill sits down with Dan Villers, Founder of the Anxiety Institute, to discuss going back to school after the outbreak, lockdown, and continuous panic around the COVID-19 pandemic. The two discuss the pandemic’s effect on children’s anxiety, the need for kids to have regular social interaction at school, and how parents can adapt to today’s online learning environments.  

Key Takeaways: 

• Just because your child is suffering from anxiety, doesn’t mean they need less parenting. It can be helpful to be a bit authoritative and establish boundaries.
• Remember to acknowledge and validate your child’s concerns, but reassure them that you don’t share the same ones and that they are safe.
• Although COVID-19 has its challenges, online learning is offering more opportunities for children to take courses and participate in programs that are not offered in their physical schools.
• Take things one step at a time. Remind your children that they only need to be on step #1, rather than step #20. Remind them it’s not regular life, but pandemic survival.