The following books on anxiety have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club. They are sorted by Guide Rating, with five stars being best.
1. The Anxiety Cure for Kids
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
If your child's anxiety has you feeling worried and anxious, too, this book may just be a cure for the both of you. Written by a family of therapists, it walks you through an easy version of cognitive behavioral therapy to do with your child, which starts with visualizing that anxiety as a scary dragon and learning, with the help of an inner wizard, how to make it shrink and shrivel away. Though the dragon may come back, you and your child will know how to vanquish it. 5 Stars
2. Don't Feed the Monster on Tuesdays!
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Not a parenting book so much as a book for parents to read with their children, Don't Feed the Monster helps kids understand negative self-talk by picturing a nasty green monster who lives in your head and says mean things. With colorful cartoons and kid-friendly language, the book offers explanations for those bad feelings and ways to overcome them. 4.5 Stars
3. Your Child in the Balance
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Looking for a hard and fast answer to the question of whether psychiatric medications will be safe, effective, and necessary for your child? Too bad, you won't find it here. You will find an evenhanded look at the pros and cons, from a psychiatrist who is cautiously pro-medication but entirely mindful of its pitfalls. Whichever side of the fence you're on, or even if you're straddling it, you'll find some validation for your point of view here. Some food for thought, too. 4.5 Stars
4. Freeing Your Child from Anxiety
Cover image courtesy of Random House
It's natural for parents to worry about their kids. But when the kids are worrying more than the parents, that's cause for real concern. Stress is becoming more and more of a problem for our overworked, overbooked kids. When does stress become anxiety, and anxiety become a disorder? This book can help you figure that out, and give you an idea of what to do next. 4 Stars
5. Should I Medicate My Child?
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Medicating children for behavior problems can be a difficult subject to discuss, one that provokes strong emotions among parents, pro and con. Diller, author of Running on Ritalin, provides information about a host of psychiatric drugs while also offering caution as to their use. It's thought-provoking stuff regardless of which side of the line you're on. 4 Stars
6. Freeing Your Child From Negative Thinking
Cover image courtesy of Da Capo Press
According to this friendly guide from a child psychologist, it's not negative thoughts that are the problem for some kids so much as the scope of those thoughts -- they believe every failure means they'll never succeed, every rejection means they'll never have another friend, every hard day means they're doomed to despair for eternity. Chansky offers specific exercises to get that bad voice to quiet down, and make your family life upbeat, too. 3.5 Stars
7. The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
In a world where kids are supposed to be quick on the pick-up, over-involved, easily verbal and friend-heavy, a child who's deliberate, thoughtful, slow to warm up and quick to shut down can seem at serious risk. Is your quiet child anxiety-disordered, attention-defective, communication-impaired? Or is she just an introvert who's perfectly happy to be social and attentive, on her own careful terms? Hidden Gifts can help you see what's really going on, and value your child's unique personality. 3 Stars
