Help Your Child Manage Stress

2015-01-19 17:13:43 CPCC Blogging Team

Four Tips For Assisting Your Kid With Stress Management

We have a fantasy that childhood is a stress-free time of our lives, filled with rainbows and frolicking through playgrounds without a care in the world. If each of us will reflect on our childhood years, however, we will often remember that they were rife with stresses: being bullied on the playground, putting the wrong answer up on the board, not understanding the changes of our bodies, and so on. With increasingly added emphasis on extracurricular activities, today’s kids are expected to complete a seven-hour school day, head straight to an extracurricular, come home and finish homework, and get enough sleep. Help your child manage his or her stress with these tips:

1. Listen Patiently: It may seem like your child is overly verbal about the issues that are causing them stress, but processing their problems out loud with you, their trusted parent, can be a huge step towards minimizing them. Help them to articulate their issues, and allow them the space to dialogue about their day.
2. Check The Calendar: As an adult in today’s hyper-busy world, you know the stress that a too-full calendar can bring. Take a look at your child’s schedule and make sure you are allowing them time to just be a kid. Be sure to factor in time for homework, and ask them if they feel they have too much going on.
3. Let Them Mess Up: Making mistakes can be especially traumatic as a child because we often do not understand that messing up is part of growing up. Alleviate some of your child’s stress by letting her or him know it is okay to not be perfect as long as they are learning and growing from their missteps.
4. Just Be There: More than anything, be present in your child’s life so he or she knows to turn to you when life feels overwhelming. Whether they want to talk or just be, taking the time to enjoy their company will offer comfort and consolation.

If you would like to talk to a professional about helping your child manage his or her stress, contact the Community Presbyterian Counseling Center in San Ramon, California. Our team cares deeply about helping you be there for your child in whatever way they need.

First Time Parents