Parenting an Anxious Child

We all suffer from anxieties from time to time. Well, I'm no psychologist, but I think we do. I have certainly done enough reading into managing anxieties to believe that we all go through it in some way. Some people more than others, obviously.

I have anxieties, and so does my 7 year old daughter. I fear that I have in some projected my anxieties onto her. Even though our fears and anxieties are quite different. The good news in though, In trying to help her, I have actually helped myself. I'm probably it the best place that I have been for years. But Ardyn's still need work.

Her issue is dogs - animals in general. She has never been attacked, never had a negative experience with an animal (that I can pinpoint anyway), but has a complete meltdown whenever exposed to them. Strike that, USED to. She's a hell of a lot better now, but that's come at a cost of 12 months therapy and some very hard work from us as a family, and our close friends. We have had a hell of a lot of people on board managing this, and I am grateful for all of them.

Ardyn's therapy has come to an end. Her therapist said that there's nothing more thats he can do. We have all the tools and need to move forward and work through it.
It's a slow slog, but we're getting there. It's a continual process at the moment, and I have to keep remembering that.

Why am I sharing this? Well, if anyone reads this Blog, they know that I share everything (well, just about). But this time I have found a process and a couple of books that seem to be doing the trick. I had to share, just in case you are a parent to an anxious child.

Parenting Your Anxious Child with Mindfulness and Acceptance - Christopher McCurry Ph.D
Introduced me to the idea of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and gave me tools to help my kids let go of fears and worries without creating avoidance issues (I have found out that avoiding your worries is not good. Better to accept them and deal with them - sounds simple when you're not dealing with a 7 year old).

What to do When you Worry too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety - Dawn Huebner
Recommended for 6-12 year olds and uses Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to help kids become aware of their worries and work out new ways of dealing with them. It is a hands-on workshop type book that has kids writing and drawing their way through their worries. Ardyn has found it very useful.

There is also a heap of stuff on the net, but be careful or you can get overwhelmed with all the information out there. But in taking a positive from that, you can take solace in the fact that you are not alone. There are many parents out there with anxious kids, and I am one of them.

Accepting it, and dealing with it - and sharing.
K x

Who am I kidding????

I'm old. Well I feel mighty old tonight.

A couple of months ago I was asked if I wanted to play on a friend's netball team. I was so excited! One thing that I truly miss since leaving Melbourne was. Y team sports. Not for the sport itself, but it was always a bonus to have a run around, but to spend time with my friends and catch up.

As we get older, get jobs, married, become parents, life understandably becomes busier. It becomes harder to fit in time with our friends. Participating in a team sport allowed my friends and I to catch up in a casual way. W touched base, saw each other, had a chat, and made further plans to catch up.

So to be asked to join a team after living here "teamless" for the past 7 years was music to my ears.

First game I had a BALL! I was haring around chasing my own tail half the time, but I was loving being out there playing in a team. I had a couple of bumps and falls, and came out of it quite sore and sorry for myself the next day. Truth be told, I was sore for a week!

I was really looking forward to the next game, and even though I was still pulling up a little stiff, I was as keen as ever to get up there. Then at the second centre pass I felt my quad go "twang". Bugger! That was me, on the bench for the rest of the game. I was just thankful that it was my right leg and I could still drive.

The Gods treated me well for the weeks that followed. We had a walkover, the stadium had a blackout so games were cancelled, and we had a bye.

So out we went this evening, ready to play. I was so happy to be on the court again!

The game was going well. I was chasing my opposition and my tail, and we were winning! Life was good.
Then I felt something hit me in the calf. I honestly thought that someone had kicked me. I looked around and was by myself, went to take another step........OWWWW!

I've heard about this before, but never experienced it. When you tear your calf and it feels like someone has thrown a rock into your leg or something. That's just how it felt. And while sitting on the bench thinking about how much Cal is going to yell at me, it hit me - it's my right leg. I can't drive.

So after getting one of the girls to drive my car home (thank goodness a couple of them car pooled) I sit on my couch, resting, icing, compressing and elevating, and unable to move without the assistance of crutches. Cal and I are trying to work out how to get the kids where they need to be tomorrow.

I am hoping that the morning will bring the ability to move my foot and possibly drive a car. I don't mind admitting that I'm a little worried, and really want to get to the sports doctor tomorrow too. So much for the errands I had planned to run tomorrow.

I am getting old, and I really don't want to admit to it.
My body doesn't like the stuff that I want to do.
I may need to make some changes.
Bugger!

Lovely words

A couple of weeks ago I attended the funeral of a dear old friend. It was a day of tears and laughter, hugs and kisses, and a chance to regroup with old friends.

In the front cover of the order of service was the following poem. I was just reading it again, and the words touched me as much as they did that morning two weeks ago.
I had to share.

Life can be so busy

That the days just seem to fly

And time without those

We care about

Can sometimes pass us by

But in the midst of busy hours

It's always nice to find

That thoughts of favourite people

Very often come to mind

Happy thoughts that make us smile

And brighten up the day 

Warmed by special memories

That are in our hearts to stay

And even though out schedules

May keep us on the go

We qwant to take the time

To let these people know

We're glad for everything we've shared

And want to keep in touch

For people in our hearts and thoughts

Will always mean so much

Although Kevin hasn't been a close part of my life for some years, he was a big part of my life at one time, and I am very sorry that he is no longer with us.

Just as others do, I love you Uncle Kevvy. Rest now.

K x

Extreme Pageviews!!

When I started my Blog all those years ago, it was so that my parents could keep up to date with our lives after they moved to the other side of the country, and to share my papercrafts creations with the online communities that I was a part of. Then it was handy for family and friends to read about us when we moved interstate. Now, it just contains my intermittent rants and thoughts, a bit of family news, and a photo here and there.

I dont expect huge traffic to my Blog. In fact I am stunned when I get more than 10 hits a day.

Imagine my surprise when I looked in my stats right now and saw that this post has 2,396 views!!!!! Then I laughed - the bloody title could come up in response to all sorts of web searches. Makes we wonder what sort of terms people are punching into Google.
When I looked at the keyword search, they all contained 'boob' in some way - big boobies, teenage boobs(!!), boobs - and they are all from the US, UK or India.

Too funny!!!! Or sad???

Not sure I like this traffic to my Blog though.

GO AWAY PERVS!!!!!!! You've not welcome here.

Two days down, one to go

I didn't write a post yesterday, as I was having Internet connection issues last night. I am not happy that this post will appear as one long paragraph (bloody iPad)......I'll clean it up at home. (Edit 12/6: cleaned up and is now readable paragraphs.)

Two days into the Expo, and I am having a great time. I came here with the intention of just doing classes and seeing friends (which I have done), but I have ended up having a little bit of a shop too. I figured with the Craft & Quilt show in Sydney next week I'd have no need to shop - much easier to buy in Sydney where I can get it home in my car - but some of the exhibitors won't be in Sydney, so I had to. Really, there was no other choice.

One such exhibitor was Lynette Carroll. You must check out her work. It's amazing! I have bought a couple of kits to complete which will end up as heirloom items for the girls (hopefully). They are AMAZING!!

And I can't walk past the Twiddleybitz stand without getting my wallet out. Their samples are TO DIE FOR. Such amazing talent on their Design Team. (I wish I could paste photos in here. You will have to make do with the links).

My classes have been held by some very talented tutors. Julie Winks, Sonia Thomason, Angella Peardon, Louise Nelson, Julie Van Oosten and Jane Tregenza. I look forward to sharing my creations when I get home.

 I had a goal to not go home with any incomplete projects. I am doing pretty well on that count. There are two that I haven't finished, which were big on technique. Lots of creative playing. So I will do more with them at home. All in all I am very happy with what I have to show for my efforts. I can post to Facebook, so I will pop over to my "I Am Kirst" page now and post some. (Edit 10/6: Damn photos won't load! Got one on there.) 

After I spend all day creating, I get to come back to my room and enjoy the quiet, have dinner, catch up with people if I want.......whatever I like. It's so strange to have so much time to myself to do whatever I like with whoever I like. Strange, but nice. A very rare occurrence in the life of a stay-at-home-mum, and I have taken advantage of this time. On top of all of this "me time" I have managed more sleep than usual, but I am still tired. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not used to having this much sleep, or if the terrible hotel bed has something to do with it (and considering how sore my back and neck are, I think it's probably a big factor).

So tomorrow is our last day. I head home in the evening, but won't get to see my cherubs until Tuesday. I do get to see my wonderful husband, and I am really looking forward to it. (Who-da thunk it!)

Until I get home - see ya!
K xx

Time for some R & R

I have had this weekend getaway planned for months, but it actually couldn't have come at a better time. I am in such need of a little bit of rest and relaxation after the last couple of weeks. I've really been looking forward to it.

 I am in Brisbane for the Scrapbook and Papercrafts Convention. Yes it sounds a little geeky, but I am going to spend three days making art. There is shopping to be done too, but truth be told, I have no interest. Just make art. That's all I'm interested in.

I want to try and blog about the weekend as I go along, but 1) I don't have the best track record with keeping my blog up to date, and 2) I can't work out how to upload photos from my iPad. Well see how I go.  

What plans do you have for the long weekend?

Blah blah

Firstly I just want to follow up from my last post..... I have had the mammogram done, and the report states that I have "VERY dense and fibrous breast tissue", but no nasty lumps. All good.

I am currently sitting at MacDonalds taking enjoying their coffee and loving the free WiFi while my car is getting fixed. I thought I'd take advantage of the time that I have and write a blog post I'd been planning, but I can't load the photos that I want from my iPad, and now after trying different ways for some time, I'm frustrated.

 This is all you are getting. My brain doesn't want to work for me and think up anything amusing, articulate or in any way interesting.

Blah. K x