Helping Your Child Manage Stress

Kids back in school means homework, exams, peer pressure and yes, sometimes stress. Ironically enough, when we get stressed as adults, we tend to reminisce about our childhood—days filled with laughter and playing with friends. But the reality is that is that now more than ever, kids are suffering from higher stress levels than ever before. Here’s what parents can do to help.

✔ Parents should be focusing on building strong, loving, and supportive relationships with their children; so that their children will be eager to learn from them how they should deal with the inevitable stresses that they will have to contend with while growing up.

✔ Excessive extracurricular activities should be limited, but still encouraged, as they can be excellent forms of stress release. These activities should generally be kept to twice a week in primary school children and three times a week in high school children.

✔ Kids should also be encouraged to play and laugh with their friends and family as they grow up.

✔ In most cases, you can help your child cope with pressures of childhood by developing your child’s self-esteem, ensure the child gets sufficient rest and a balanced nutritious diet-this makes a difference in how children face pressures of the day.

✔ Prepare your child for potential stress, such as a visit to the dentist, for example, by talking about it beforehand and discussing any fears they may have.