Stress affects everyone, even children. But knowing how to deal with that stress is what makes the difference between constant tantrums and positive coping mechanisms. Here are some of the best ways you can help your child deal with stress.
- Keep an Ear Out for the Signs: The first step to helping anyone with stress is understanding when and why they are stressed. Listening for common complaints and getting to know your child’s stressors can better help you pinpoint what exactly they are stressing out about. This is key in helping them overcome it.
- Make a Plan of Action: Help your child plan their day with stress relievers built in. Schedule some outdoor play, a bit of socializing, and an early bedtime into your child’s day. These things naturally allow children to let go of stress and keep them balanced between work and play. Also, try not to overschedule them, or you’ll risk counteracting the purpose of these activities.
- Get Plenty of Down Time: Rest and relaxation are key in reducing stress in both adults and children. Work with your child on calming techniques, like meditation, to help your child take a breather when they need it most. Get in the habit of taking a few minutes out of your day to sit down with your child and practice relaxing. And don’t forget to hit the hay early, if it’s been a rough day.
- Promote Thinking Skills and Understanding: Problem solving is a natural remedy for stress. Developing thinking skills and a general understanding of emotions and how to deal with them can greatly reduce the amount of tension your child holds onto. Explain that everyone has tough days, and everyone gets sad sometimes, but these things pass and your there to help your child get through them. Remember, it’s okay to feel down in the dumps from time to time, but it’s important to learn how to be proactive about it.
- Build Safety Nets: Similarly to your stress-free scheduling, a safety net of friends, family, and extracurricular activity can help prevent stress from occurring and provide the necessary support when self-problem solving is lacking. Help your child build relationships that will help them cope with stress as it arises. By developing a network of support, children not only feel more confident in daily life, but they are quicker to get back on their feet when troubles do arise.
