Anxiety Momster

Tag: Parenting

  • A Heartfelt Letter to Anxious Moms for Mother’s Day

    A Heartfelt Letter to Anxious Moms for Mother’s Day

    A Peaceful Letter to Anxious Moms on Mother’s Day

    ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This post gently touches on anxiety, motherhood, and emotional vulnerability.
    📌 Disclaimer: I’m not a mental health professional — just a mom sharing her heart.

    Somewhere right now, a mom is holding a cup of cold coffee, mentally making five lists while wiping away tears she hasn’t told anyone about.

    And if that mom is you — this is your reminder:
    💜 You’re doing more than enough.
    💜 You’re already worthy.
    💜 And you deserve peace today, too.

    💐 Today, Let’s Pause

    Mother’s Day isn’t just about perfect pictures or gift bags with fancy bows.
    It’s about moments like:

    • Quiet breathing before the house wakes up
    • Tiny hands hugging you tighter than usual
    • Letting yourself rest without guilt
    • Laughing even though you cried last night

    🌿 You’re Still a Good Mom If…

    • You need breaks
    • You say “not right now”
    • You don’t love every moment
    • You’re healing while parenting
    • You cry and show up anyway

    Anxiety doesn’t erase your love.
    It just makes you more intentional about holding on to the good.

    💌 A Love Letter to Moms Like Us

    To the mom with the full heart and tired spirit —
    I see you.

    You are the safe place.
    The breath of calm during the storm.
    The reason someone feels deeply loved.

    And even on the days when you don’t feel “together”…
    your presence is still a gift.

    🧘‍♀️ A Simple Practice for Today:

    Take 3 deep breaths.
    Hand on your heart.
    Say:

    “I am enough. Right now. Just as I am.”
    “I don’t have to do it all today.”
    “I deserve peace, too.”

    💜 Wishing You a Gentle, Peaceful Mother’s Day

    If today feels joyful — soak it up.
    If today feels hard — breathe through it.
    Either way, you are loved, seen, and appreciated.

    Happy Mother’s Day 💐
    From one anxious mom to another.

    — Shanice, Anxiety Momster

  • Breaking the Stigma: How I Talk to My Kids About Anxiety and Mental Health

    Breaking the Stigma: How I Talk to My Kids About Anxiety and Mental Health

    Anxiety isn’t a quiet thing in our home.
    It’s not hidden behind closed doors or swept under the rug.
    We talk about mental health openly — because in this family, it’s not taboo. It’s real. It’s personal.

    As a mom who lives with severe anxiety and panic attacks, I made a promise to myself: my children would never feel ashamed or confused about what they’re feeling inside. So we talk. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

    Supporting a Child Through Panic Attacks

    My 13-year-old experiences panic attacks that stop her in her tracks — chest tightness, racing thoughts, tears, and fear that something is terribly wrong. I’ve seen her clutch her chest and cry, “I can’t breathe.”

    I’ve been there too.

    In those moments, I don’t try to fix her. I sit with her.
    We breathe together:

    • Inhale for 4 seconds
    • Hold for 4 seconds
    • Exhale for 6 seconds

    Over and over, until the panic eases.

    This is how we manage anxiety as a family. This is what it looks like — connection, calm, and compassion.

    Teaching Kids How to Cope with Anxiety

    We’re not just helping our teen — even our youngest is learning.

    My 4-year-old doesn’t fully understand the word “anxiety,” but she knows how to breathe in and out when someone’s upset. She’s seen it in action. Now, she’ll walk up and say, “Breathe with me,” to her older siblings when they’re frustrated.

    She’s learning early what most of us didn’t learn until adulthood —
    your emotions matter, and you’re not alone.

    Why Talking About Mental Health Matters in Parenting

    Breaking the mental health stigma starts at home. In our house, we use words like:

    • Triggered
    • Overwhelmed
    • Calm down space
    • Grounding
    • Anxiety attack

    We don’t say “stop crying.” We don’t say “you’re being dramatic.”
    We validate, support, and walk through it together.

    How to Start Mental Health Conversations With Your Kids

    If you’re not sure where to begin, here’s what’s helped us:

    • Be honest — Let them know it’s okay to feel anxious or scared.
    • Share your own experience (in age-appropriate ways).
    • Practice breathing exercises as a family — even when no one is anxious.
    • Create a calm corner or safe space where kids can retreat and reset.
    • Use children’s books or videos to explain what anxiety feels like.
    • Normalize mental health days the same way we do sick days.

    We Get Through Anxiety Together — One Breath at a Time

    I won’t pretend it’s easy. Some days I feel like I’m barely hanging on. But even in the mess, I know this matters. Talking about anxiety with my kids has brought us closer. It’s helped them feel seen. And it’s helped me heal in ways I never expected.

    In this home, we breathe together. We cry together.
    And we show each other — you don’t have to go through anxiety alone.

    💬 Let’s Talk About It… Together

    If you’re a parent navigating anxiety — yours, your child’s, or both — you are not alone. This is hard, but you’re doing the best you can. And that is enough.

    ✨ Want extra support and free calming tools?
    Download my free Peace Over Panic Digital Journal and Anxiety Tracker — created from our real life, with love, for moms just like you.

    👉 Grab your free copy here
    ✨ Includes daily check-ins, weekly reflections, and breathing tools for tough moments.

    And if this post resonated with you, drop a comment, share it with a friend, or just breathe with me in spirit.

    We’re breaking the stigma, one breath and one honest conversation at a time.

    With love,
    Shanice – Anxiety Momster