Anxiety can look different for everyone, particularly when it comes to children. It can appear as worry, frustration, avoidance, physical tension, difficulty concentrating, or simply feeling overwhelmed by everyday situations.
Knowing how to respond in those moments isn’t always easy, which is why St Raphael’s School has created its free Anxiety at Home and School video series.
Parents, carers and educators now have access to the five-part video series, designed to provide practical strategies for understanding anxiety, managing stress and building emotional wellbeing.
The videos explore practical anxiety support for families, including emotional regulation, breathing exercises, healthy stress management and the power of positive language.
Designed to be watched at your own pace, the series offers different strategies that can be tried one at a time, before returning to the videos whenever they need a refresher.
One of the key messages throughout the series is that supporting children through anxiety starts with adults looking after their own wellbeing. Parents and carers can often find themselves focused on helping the children around them while overlooking their own stress and emotional needs.
“When adults learn to recognise and regulate their own stress, they are better placed to support the children around them,” shared Emma Fowler, Principal of St Raphael’s School.
“This is not about adding another list of things parents and carers should be doing. It is about creating space for parents and carers to feel supported, understood and equipped with practical tools for their own wellbeing.”
The series explores what happens in the brain when we “flip our lid” and why it can become harder to think clearly or respond calmly when stress levels rise. Understanding those responses can help adults recognise what is happening, pause and choose a more helpful next step.
Across the five videos, viewers can explore a range of emotional regulation strategies for adults and children, including recognising the early signs of anxiety and stress, as well as understanding how emotional regulation works. There are also several breathing exercises to try, including belly breathing, box breathing and five-finger breathing.
St Raphael’s School’s Wellbeing Officer Hannah Walton said, “Anxiety is part of being human for adults as well as children. When adults practise calming strategies for themselves, children see that it is possible to feel anxious and still be safe, capable and okay. Modelling these behaviours is one of the most powerful ways we can support children.”
The videos are aimed at parents and carers of children from babies through to Year 6, as well as educators, early childhood professionals and other adults wanting to learn more about anxiety and emotional wellbeing.
With anxiety and stress affecting both children and adults, the Anxiety at Home and School series offers an accessible starting point for building emotional regulation strategies and creating a calmer environment at home and school.
For more information, click here.
