Four Ways You Can Help Your Child Deal with Stress

We all know how common it is for adults to suffer from stress and anxiety, but what people don't always realize is that kids are feeling their own share of pressure, worries, and responsibilities which can lead to stress for them. It would be great to think that kids don't have a worry in the world, but that's just not true at all. Kids can feel stressed about school, friends, their home life, and more.Just like with adults, the build-up of stress can affect them both mentally and physically, which is why it’s important that parents recognize the signs and symptoms early, and step in to help.

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So how can you help your child to deal with and cope with stress in a healthy way? Here are four steps you can take.

Practice Your Listening Skills

One of the best ways that kids can go about dealing with stress is to talk about how they are feeling and the pressure they are under. What this means is that you need to encourage them to talk to you, and you need to be able to listen. They have to feel it is safe to talk to you, that you won’t judge them, or get them in trouble, basically creating a safe haven for them. If they ask for input you can certainly give it, but listening is extremely important.

 

Don't Ignore Warning Words

There are also warning words that you should be watching for. Your child may not realize that the stress is getting to them, or they may not be ready to talk about it. This means you need to listen for words such as "don't like", "bothering", "worrying", etc. These are often the words kids use when they are feeling stressed but aren't exactly sure how to vocalize it.

 

Scale Back on the Scheduling

While you may think that it's important to schedule your child's time, in reality you may be doing more harm than good. Sometimes parents can go a bit overboard and end up over-scheduling the kids, which leads to stress and anxiety. There should always be downtime included in the schedule, and the schedule itself needs to be flexible.

 

Speak to a Professional

If it feels like the steps you are taking with your child aren't helping, and they are still quite stressed, it may be wise to speak to a professional therapist who deals with kids. The ELEOS Psychology Center is a great example of the type of professionals that can help. The therapists at ELEOS excel in dealing with children of all ages helping them to work through their problems and stress, and also provide you with the tools and insight you need that can make things smother all around.

 

Giving Your Child the Support and Help They Need

Stress can be a pretty difficult thing to deal with, especially for kids who aren’t even sure what it is they are going through. Providing them with help, support, and love can teach them how to handle stress in a healthy and productive way, which will set them up for success in their adult years.