Stress is so commonly used to describe how a child, teen, and adult is feeling that is doesn’t even to raise an eyebrow when you hear someone say “my child is so stressed out or I am so stressed out.”
The epidemic numbers of children, teens, and adults suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression are staggering. Well-meaning parents fall into the trap of raising children in ways that are actually promoting undue stress.
As we embark on the school year, we need to make a commitment to our children and to ourselves that nothing is more important than our mental and physical health.
10 Steps to Preventing your kids from being too STRESSED OUT:
1. Parents need to set firm boundaries and time limits on technology use ie. iPad, phone, video games, etc.
2. Kids need downtime. Kids do not need to be over-scheduled with activities! Going from soccer to horseback riding then hours of homework is too much after a long day at school.
3. Parents cannot expect perfection, rather honor effort and hard work!
4. Have family dinner at least 3 times a week.
5. Live by example! Get involved in the community! Children grow up learning to help others have a stronger sense of self and a greater appreciation for what they have.
6. LAUGH LOUDLY AND OFTEN! Children need to play with their hands and have the freedom to move their bodies, this includes being silly!
7. Value and nurture relationships with family and friends – not acting in small acts of kindness every week. Role model empathy.
8. Creating a safe place for your children to come home to where they are accepted unconditionally and loved unconditionally.
9. Teach resilience! Give your child the chance to work hard, fail and learn how to pick themselves up again.
10. Make time for talking together! Time without iPhones and iPads. Time to spend as a family-focused on the family.
We all know the dangers that too much STRESS puts on one’s immune system, heart, and brain. Yet somehow I too often see good-intentioned parents go astray when it comes to helping raise well adjusted, calm, passionate, interesting, kind and happy children.
“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.” -Simon Sink
The best way to help your family is to work on your own happiness! Find time to exercise, spend time with friends or start a new hobby. Research shows that when a parent is happy there is a greater chance that their child will be happy.
