Stress is as dangerous for children as it is for adults. We may remember our childhoods as happy and calm times, but the truth is that growing up is full of different stress sources. This situation is perfectly ok - we all needed a certain level of stress to develop properly and create some resistance to stressful situations. However, there are also situations when stress becomes too dangerous to be coped with without external support. At such times the family should do its best to protect the child from negative effects of stress.



The best way to teach your kids how to manage stress is to manage your own stressful situations well. The best lesson about not getting stressed is showing your kids that you can overcome your problems and remain cheerful. Expressing anger, frustration and any other similar feelings will teach your child that such emotions are an acceptable behavior once stressed.

Another thing is being serious about all worries of your children. Try to remember how you felt when you were twelve - you were worried about very different things than now. Never make fun of your children problems - if they feel stressed about them, they're real enough. Instead of that, try to discuss the problem with a child and find an acceptable solution.

In order to help your children, you have to get them used to openly communicating with you. The reasons of their problems are usually quite easy to cope with - once found. Children tend to hide their problems deep inside and it takes time and a good communication with your child to get them into daylight.

The most important thing in communication with children is truth. You must not lie about anything. Always be truthful about family crises and all other problems. Children aren't dumb - they will sooner or later notice what's going on. By trying to protect them, you really only induce additional stress to your children and make them shut you off from their problems. And once lost, trust is extremely difficult to rebuild.

Do not try to solve the problems for your child. This will really do nothing. All you should do is provide advice, assistance and acceptation to your children decision-making process. Teach them what to do, but try not to interfere with their specific choices unless they are going to be disastrous like leaving high school or becoming a drug dealer.