I often have the saying, "Anxiety is contagious, but so is courage" on my office whiteboard because I think it's a great counter message to how clients with overwhelming anxiety think about it. Anxiety can spillover and cause otherwise calm and grounded caregivers to become hypervigilant and always ready for their kids to be overtaken by their fears and worries. Naturally, their chronic readiness for perceived danger becomes our mode as well. It's important to remember that the antidote is courage and it's just as contagious. Let's talk about how to detect the spillover, manage our own anxiety, and use courage to demonstrate to our kids that anxiety can be shrunk down to size.
I'd encourage you to check out a couple of resources that you might find helpful in managing anxiety, either as individuals or as a family.
Want to learn practical ways to coregulate with your dysregulated kids? This online course will provide that for you in 45 min, rewatchable on demand.
https://www.my.thrive-life.ca/coregulation-courseThe MindShift App -
https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/An online course for families teaching anxiety reduction skills that will serve you life long - CBT for the Family: Tools for Life -
https://www.my.thrive-life.ca/cbtforthefamily-courseIf you're feeling burnt out, consider this incredible book by Emily and Amelia Nagoski:
Burnout, The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle.