Are they absolutely thrilled and ecstatic? Or are they grumbling before the first day?

Whether we want to admit it or not, kids get stressed out. They are operating under extreme pressure from multiple bosses (i.e., you, dad, teachers, principal, friends, neighbor parents, church, etc.).

It can be a true mess every single day. And then it’s complicated even more by social media. You can’t leave out the obvious, especially for middle, high, and college students.

So if stress is wrecking your kids, you’ve got to help them cope for hope.

The K.I.S.S. ~ Cope for hope!

These are coping mechanisms that help your children see what they can’t understand or even visualize for themselves.

1. Acknowledge what you see. When you see your child is struggling with something, tell him/her what you are seeing. And depending on the response, you can then move the conversation further or simply be patient as you opened a door for your child to walk through without feeling judged. Because whether or not we admit it, our kiddos do feel judged by us as parents.
2. Put words to feelings. Kids at any age have various feelings. Some of which are hard to explain. As the mom (and dad), help your child put words to what he/she is feeling. By understanding what the feelings are intellectually (in age-appropriate vocabulary), it makes room for your child to logically comprehend how what they are feeling by definition. Plus, when you talk about it together, then you are on the same wavelength.
3. Create a distraction. Chill out. Help your child do something different from that which is causing the stress (i.e., school work, tryouts, etc.).

BONUS: Be silly! Laughter does the mind, body, and spirit good.

Stress does not have to wreck or destroy your child. And it doesn’t have to add to the messy every day.

Share the cope for hope.

“Live. Love. IMPACT!!!“