How to Help Kids Manage Their Stress
Are your kids being irritable or annoying? Did their sleeping pattern or their eating habits change? Are they constantly crying or making you worried?
Chances are your kids are feeling stressed.
Even though they seem to have fewer problems, children are still prone to stress. Your kid may be frustrated because of school or because they don't like what they are doing. Even showing how stressed you are can make them feel sad or anxious because they can absorb the feelings of people around them.
Since children are not old enough to understand and manage their feelings, caring parents like you can help them. We have listed some tips for you to help your kids manage stress.
1. Consider getting an emotional support animal (ESA).
Emotional support animals provide comfort and help lessen anxiety. They can be cats, dogs, rabbits, or others as long as they can make your children smile and feel more positive. These animals can be your children's best friends and constant companions when they are feeling down.
2. Introduce them to a hobby.
Sometimes, children are stressed because of too much exposure to electronic devices. For example, the violence and sexuality in some videos they watched can affect their mindset. And because they take too much time in front of their screens, they may lose interest in developing new hobbies. Creating a new and healthy hobby, such as painting rocks or building things from scratch will distract them from negativities and help them feel more excited during the day.
3. Teach them how to deal with mistakes.
Some children are stressed because they worry their parents will be too disappointed when they make a mistake. Most teens develop negative thinking, especially in school. Start by letting them know it's okay to make mistakes when it occurs. Help them understand that their mistakes do not result in catastrophic things. So instead of being stressed, help them think of ways to improve themselves.
4. Be a good example.
While developing, children tend to copy their parents. If you manage your stress poorly, your children will probably do the same. So be a good example to them by showing how it's done. Start by showing them how to take deep breaths, or do yoga and meditation. If you are presented with struggles, face them with calmness and objectivity.
5. Be there for them.
One of the most effective ways to manage stress is knowing that you are loved. Sometimes, children just need their parents to be there for them to listen to their rants and to be the shoulder to cry on. You reading this article means you genuinely care about your children, so just show them that. If it is hard for you to express your love, start by just asking how they are. Have a two-sided conversation, and don't invalidate their feelings by saying, "I have experienced worse" or "you are just overreacting."
Conclusion
Open up to your child so that it becomes easier for them to open up about their feelings. They will become independent eventually, and they will be able to manage their stress as they grow up. For now, just give them lots of love and attention, and let them know that they’re not alone.
Do you own an assistance animal? Register your pet today.
The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.
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