Help Your Child Cope with Stress

Unfortunately being a kid does not always mean being carefree. While some stress is normal, it seems that children are coming across many stressful trials earlier in life.

Common stress experienced by children includes school jitters, social issues in class, being afraid of the dark, and separation anxiety to name a few. Although stress can manifest itself in children in different ways, be sure to look for behaviors that are unusual for them. Many children will even revert back to actions they did at a younger age like thumb sucking or bed wetting when faced with stress. It is important to find out what stresses your child in order to lend a hand.

Here are a few coping strategies to consider helping your child cope with stress:

• Praise your child. Encourage them and always use positive words.
• Acknowledge your child's feelings. Let your children know you understand and it is okay to feel different feelings. Letting them know you "see and hear them" creates trust and comfort.
• Create a stress-free environment at home. Be sure your home is a "safe place" to have open conversations, share feelings and get plenty of hugs.