Some children mange the pressures of school quite nicely while others find that too many commitments, conflict in their families and problems with peers can be overwhelming. The key to helping kids manage stress is to teach them to problem-solve, plan and know when to say yes and no to activities and commitments. It isn’t to “make everything smooth and comfortable.”
Below are 7 tips to help your children manage stress successfully.
1. Stop over-scheduling.
One of the biggest stressors for kids is being over-scheduled. Yet children are expected to do well in school, excel at extracurricular activities, come home, finish homework, and go to bed just to do it all over again the next day. Where’s the downtime? Kids need downtime to rejuvenate. Their brains and bodies need to rest. And they might not realize this by themselves. So knowing when your child is over-scheduled is important.
2. Make time for play.
Allow children to play with no end goal in mind. Young children do this naturally. Combine play with physical activity, which is critical for well-being. Some ideas include: riding your bikes, throwing around the baseball, wrestling and hiking.
3. Make sleep a priority.
Sleep is vital for everything from minimizing stress to boosting mood to improving school performance. If your child isn’t getting enough sleep it may be an indicator that they’re over-scheduled. If possible, keep TV and other electronics out of your child’s bedroom.
4. Teach your children to listen to their bodies.
Try this: Sit in the car with your child, and press the gas and brake, and listen to the engine revving. Explain that “our body just revs and revs, and then it wears out and says ‘enough.’” Encourage them to tune in to what their body needs.
5. Manage your own stress.
Stress is contagious. When parents are stressed out, children sense it and become stressed out. Let go of the busy-ness and relax as a family. Children learn best by watching how you manage stress.
6. Make mornings calmer.
Help your child plan for the next day. Make mornings smoother by preparing the night before.
7. Teach your children how to deal with mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are a normal part of life. Focus instead on how to recover from a bad decision in order to move forward.
Adapted from “Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents” by Lynn Lyons.
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