Children are vulnerable to stress. Make sure that their emotional backpack is filled with tools for stress management and relaxation. Here are some important guidelines to help you with your kids’ stress management:
- Be aware that change, be it positive or negative, creates stress for most kids.
- Make time to relax and schedule downtime for your children
- Show your child how to maintain a positive outlook, stop the chatter and lists in their heads, and take their mind off of their worries.
Here are some proven techniques you can use to help with stress management for your children:
- Use affirmations or positive statements to counteract kids’ stress.
Teach your children to take a break and say, “I am calm. I am relaxed. I am peaceful. I am happy. I am safe.” Write one down and have your child carry it in their pocket for the day. Put a list in the back of their school notebook for them to access at any time.
- Create visualizations – imagining can be both fun and effective.
Create a story or scene that your child can listen to with their eyes closed. Go for a calming ride on a cloud or float in a bubble. Slide down a rainbow and encourage your child to create their own relaxing story. Let them write it down or record it and then let them relax mom or dad with their visualization.
- Practice controlled breathing.
Taking slow deep breaths can help lower a child’s anxiety and anger, allowing hyperactive children or those that suffer from ADHD to bring their energy level down a notch and feel in charge of themselves. If your one of your children is over-stimulated or on a verge of a temper tantrum, have them focus on their breathing and soothe themselves. Diaphragmatic breathing brings more oxygen to the body with less effort. Breathe in 2,3,4 and out 2,3,4. In 2,3,4 and out 2,3,4. Encourage your child to show one of their dolls or stuffed animals this technique.
- Use progressive muscle relaxation to help your child to fall asleep.
Relax your child’s mind and body by telling various muscle groups to relax. Start with your child’s feet and work your way up to their head or reverse the order. After a few tries your child will be able to use this technique on their own. “I am going to relax my legs. I will relax my legs. My legs are relaxing. My legs are relaxed.” For a variation, try active progressive muscular relaxation. Tighten muscle groups and relax. “Hold, hold, hold…..Ahhhhh…”
These are just a few of the techniques we employ for producing stress free children. We offer books, CDs and child stress management curriculums and we invite you to explore our entire site to learn more about how you can better deal with kids and stress. We encourage you to read and comment on any of the blog articles pertaining to children and stress. Feel free to post these articles to your website or share them with friends.
Sea Otter Cove is one of four stories on the Indigo Ocean Dreams CD where children learn about diaphragmatic (belly) breathing. This effective, self-calming technique can have a positive impact on your child’s health. Proper breathing can lower stress and anxiety levels. It can be used to decrease pain and anger.
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