Now that the new school year has begun, some parents may have concerns about their child’s stress level.
In a 2014 survey done on behalf of the American Psychological Association, Stress in America, teens during the school year reported higher stress levels than adults reported.
Angela Roeber, Director of Communications at Project Harmony, encourages parents to be aware of what she calls the “pressure gauge” during the school year. She says parents should be mindful of both their self-talk about their children and their dialogue with them.
“Parenting expert Peggy O’Mara has said that the way that we talk to our children becomes their inner voice, and so we just need to take a step back and revise or tone-down our messages, especially for that child who is more sensitive.”
Roeber also encourages parents to help their children change negative self-talk to what she calls “helpful other thoughts.” For example, changing a statement like, “I just can’t do math,” to something like, “I can do math when I follow all the steps.”
Roeber advises talking to the teacher, the school counselor, or someone at Project Harmony if you feel your child’s stress is at an unhealthy level.
For more information, the website is: Projectharmony.com