Picture this: you're a parent, and your child is having a tough day. Those big feelings and anxiety are taking over, and you're left wondering what to do. Do you resort to a timeout in the corner or send them off to "think about it"? It's a scenario that many parents face, and Sue Stevenson, the mind behind U-Turn Anxiety knows it all too well.

In a recent coaching session, Sue delved into a fresh approach to help parents and kids conquer anxiety and the exhausting emotional meltdowns that come with it. One parent, who's been dealing with their child's never-ending screaming and meltdowns, opened up during the session.

It's a raw, real story that many parents can relate to. Let's delve into this coaching journey and discover how to empower both parents and kids to break free from anxiety.
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Now, meet Suzy (not her real name), a parent just like you, facing similar challenges. She's part of Sue’s U-Turn Anxiety community, where parents are offered a lifeline – the Calm Parents and Kids Hub.

Suzy has been wrestling with a recurring challenge: her child's meltdowns and outbursts that seem never-ending, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and drained. The traditional parenting methods just weren't doing the trick so Sue introduced a fresh perspective. She shared insights that shed light on why these conventional approaches often fall short, setting the stage for a different way forward.

Let's dive deeper into this innovative approach that promises to make a real difference in the lives of parents like Suzy and her child.

In this coaching session, Sue dived into some effective strategies for parents like Suzy, who are seeking ways to guide their children through emotional storms. Let's uncover these valuable insights:

1. Recognizing Early Signs: Sue stressed the importance of parents becoming keen detectors of their child's emotional state, long before the storm fully brews. In Suzy's case, it was understanding the signs that preceded her child's meltdowns, like the days leading up to Book Week.

2. Understanding the Root Cause: Sue encouraged Suzy to delve deeper into her child's anxieties. They explored why Book Week was such a big deal, uncovering the fear of not winning and being judged.

3. Creating Positive Lessons: Instead of dwelling on the possibility of disappointment and not winning, Suzy learned the power of helping her child see things from a more positive perspective, even when you don’t win. By asking powerful non threatening questions without trying to convince her child, Suzy was able to help her child shift her thinking away from the winning and judgement aspect and consider other benefits of being involved which set her daughter up to show up with courage.

4. Building Emotional Competence: Sue emphasized the importance of teaching children to manage their emotions early on. Suzy's homework now includes praising her child for handling stressful situations well and asking how they managed it. This develops positive self reflection and builds positive self belief in kids.

5. Shifting Beliefs: Sue introduced the concept of pattern interrupts, helping parents challenge their child's limiting beliefs gently. By planting seeds of doubt in their old beliefs and reinforcing new, positive ones, children can gradually shift their perspectives.

In the next part, we'll explore more about pattern interrupts and how they can lead to profound transformations in a child's emotional landscape.