Healthy Ways of Managing Stress

Episode #20 in the “Raising Kids Who Can Cope” Series

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We all want to raise kids who are emotionally and socially intelligent and are able to recover from disappointment to grow stronger every day into adulthood

It seems that everyone – from children to adults – is dealing with stress. There seems to be no end to the expectations and commitments placed on us. It can be overwhelming sometimes.

There are lots of unhealthy ways to manage our emotions, and they can actually add to the stress, so it is important to recognize and use healthy strategies. Here are a few that can help us as well as children.

It is important to simply notice and acknowledge our feelings. Similarly when we observe the symptoms of stress in children, it is important to let them know it is okay to feel sad or angry or upset. By giving them words, we give them the power to express their feelings in the future.

We also experience a release when we talk with someone we trust about our stressors and how we feel. It is the same for children. Be that trustworthy individual in their lives to give them a nonjudgmental outlet with whom to share their feelings.

Finally, it helps when we make the intentional choice to change our perspective, to see ourselves and our situations in a positive light, pick out the silver linings in what we are experiencing, and take strength from the lessons learned. Then, role model this positive thinking with young people so they can appreciate the benefits too.

Raising Kids Who Can Cope is a 28-part series developed to build skills, knowledge and awareness in adults who play a role in young people’s lives. It is brought to you by Jackson County UW-Extension and Together for Jackson County Kids. Find out more at Raising Kids Who Can Cope.

References

North Carolina Cooperative Extension, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/pdfs/fcs457.pdf.org.

Recognizing Stressors

Episode #19 in the “Raising Kids Who Can Cope” Series

Click arrow to listen to the 90-second podcast.

We all want to raise kids who are emotionally and socially intelligent and are able to recover from disappointment to grow stronger every day into adulthood

As adults, we are very busy with parenting and work. We often feel stressed and experience burn-out from dealing with day-to-day situations.  But would you ever think that your child can experience stress too?

Studies tell us that many children experience extreme stress and have similar symptoms as those of adults. Stress is the body’s reaction to a physical or emotional situation that causes imbalance in a person’s life.  Children may show signs of stress in several ways such as becoming ill, acting nervous and withdrawn, or showing anger and demanding attention.  Some things that could cause a child stress might be death, divorce, remarriage, moving, abuse, natural disaster and so on.

One way to help your child learn to deal with their stress is to acknowledge their feelings. It is important that a child understands what they are feeling, and can begin to understand how to cope or problem solve to reduce the amount of stress they may be under.  You do not need to be a therapist to help your child cope with stress.  One key element in reducing stress is providing a stress-free environment in which children feel supported, providing opportunities to think through possible solutions and opportunities to learn new ways to avoid stress.

Children who are around supportive adults and caregivers usually develop a variety of coping strategies and are likely to become more resilient. By helping your child learn to solve problems on their own, you will help them to become stronger adults and viable community members.  Who knows, you may even learn a thing or two about dealing with your own stress in the process.

Raising Kids Who Can Cope is a 28-part series developed to build skills, knowledge and awareness in adults who play a role in young people’s lives. It is brought to you by Jackson County UW-Extension and Together for Jackson County Kids. Find out more at Raising Kids Who Can Cope.

References

Virginia State Cooperative Extension, http://www.ext.vt.edu

North Carolina Cooperative Extension,  http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/pdfs/fcs457.pdf