To Your Health February, 2014 (Vol. 08, Issue 02) |
|
|
Help Your Kids Cope with Stress
The world around us is always filled with uncertainty. As adults, we process experiences and how the world affects us in various ways, including stress. Often, we get tangled up in our own stress and forget about how stress may also be affecting the children in our life.
Kids, as carefree as they may seem, also experience stress and are subject to the adverse health effects that accompany stress.
It is important to know how to teach the children in your life how to cope with stress when they are confronted with it daily.
Here are some tips to help you achieve success when it comes to helping your child have healthy relationship with stress:
- Listen: Most of the time, children seek an open ear to process their everyday stress. Make sure to listen to them every time they seem stressed out and walk them through solutions so they know you are always available. Kids need reassurance at a young age and they will seek it at the most stressful times.
- Teach Them To Be Present: When confronted with an issue, kids can benefit from learning how to be present in their lives and ask for help when they need it. By being open and honest, they can decrease stress and be able to talk about what their concerns are. Next time your child is stressed out help them access the issue and look at issues head on.
- Think of Fun Activities: Problem solving activities can be utilized when children confront stress. Next time you find your child stressed out, work together to come up with a solution by using fun activities such as playtime to get them engaged.
When your child is confronted with stress, make sure to keep their emotional health in mind at all times. Breathing techniques can help. By assuring your child’s mental health is at ease you won’t have to worry about their physical health being at risk.