Coping with Stress

As a parent, it's not always easy to tell when your teen is stressed out. Some teenagers keep their fears and anxieties well hidden and others, even when approached with compassionate curiosity, may not feel comfortable sharing their truth. 

It is becoming alarmingly clear that the social and academic pressure at school can be devastating and all too often, simply too much to bear.  While there are various things beyond our control, there are several ways we can help reduce some of the stress and anxiety a child is experiencing.

1. Normalize.

One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to normalize the stress that your teen is feeling. Every single teen that I speak to feels incredibly relieved once they realize that they are not alone in what they are experiencing.  It seems scary and lonely when you have no one to open up to about what you are feeling, but even worse when you think that everyone else is enjoying life without a care in the world. 

2. Teach.

The next most important thing you can do for your teen is to teach them how to cope with the social and academic pressure they are experiencing on a daily basis.  Stress is something that we all encounter and some situations get the best of us.  Talk about healthy coping strategies that work for you and model these skills in action.  Ask your teen what relaxes them or what they enjoy.  Urge your teen to turn to that particular activity when things feel like they’re getting out of control.  You can even hold each other accountable and have a secret code word to remind one another to use their healthy coping skill.  It doesn’t have to be serious.  In fact, the more fun, the less stress.  Simple as that. 

3. Get help.

If things seem to be unraveling at home, it is critical that you bring in a third party to intervene and support your teen.  Turn to a relative you trust, a teacher you respect, a youth pastor, a sports coach, a life coach or therapist.  Too many teens are experiencing stress and are fighting it alone.  They don't have the tools to cope with their pain effectively and are taking their lives.  We can change this and we must.

Copyright © 2015 by Maggie Steele