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technique to cope with stress

3 Techniques to Help Your Child Cope With Stress

As adults who have been through the passage of life, we often look back at our childhood with rose-coloured glasses. Rarely do we remember the challenges that we faced when we were younger.

It is important for us to remember that even though they may not experience stress the way that we do, school and social pressures do impact our kids, and can often be overwhelming for them especially when they don’t know how to cope.

According to an article written by Judy Willis, a neurologist and classroom teacher, when you experience negative emotions, a part of your brain called the amygdala, takes up excessive amounts of your brain’s available nutrients and oxygen. This inhibits your brain’s ability to absorb new information.

In other words, children are unable to learn or do anything else effectively when they are stressed out. They might “blank out” or panic which leads to a vicious cycle of causing them even more stress, affecting their self-esteem and confidence. 

We cannot run away from the fact that there will be external factors that cause stress and unease to our children. However, we can teach them methods and equip them with tools to manage stressful situations and scenarios. 

Here are a few powerful stress-busting techniques you can use to help your child cope with stress.

Using guided visualisation techniques to cope with stress

The mind is a powerful tool. By tapping into the power of visualisation, our children will feel more relaxed, calm, and in control of their situation.  This is a form of positive thinking technique that requires them to close their eyes and imagine being transported to a place that makes them feel happy and relaxed. It is an easy practice that can be revisited even during times of high pressure.

We’ve found this technique incredibly effective for our students. It’s even part of our You Go, Girl programme, where we conduct a visualisation exercise to empower our girls to have a vision of their future. Often, what emerges is a clear and vivid picture of their goals and aspirations, their careers and even where and how they would like to live. The reason why such results are achieved is that they are put into a relaxed state first and then asked to visualise.

Using exercise as a technique to cope with stress

Encourage your child to get their dose of endorphins with any kind of physical activity—whether it is a simple walk around the block or a friendly dance-off between the two of you. Regular exercise can go a long way in relieving stress, while increasing self-confidence and improving mood.

Using creative techniques to cope with stress

Yes, there is now scientific proof that getting engaged in more hands-on activities can be good for you. Research has shown that creativity can go a long way in improving brain health. Pursuing arts, crafts, writing or any other creative activity can help to focus the mind, and calm the body.

Besides a form of stress-relief, getting creative can also help develop cognitive functions, such as better memory recall and improved problem-solving abilities.

Takeaways

Stress is a natural part of life. It is important for us to help our children reframe their mindset from meltdown to problem-solving. They wouldn’t be able to control their situation, but they can control how they choose to respond and conquer the challenge. Simple but fool-proof, these techniques are sure to help your child take a step back, relax, and come back to the issue with a clearer frame of mind.

Are you looking for a creative resource to help your child relax and have fun? Explore our ‘Destress and Enjoy Writing’ Challenge today!