Teenagers effected by parents’ stress

Is your family dealing with more stress than usual (unemployed parent, stress at work, tight family budget, etc…)?  How is your stress being passed down to your teenagers?  A recent Las Vegas Sun newspaper report titled More teenagers depressed, engaging in risky behavior shares a study saying how our country’s tough times are effecting today’s teenagers and their decision-making.

What are you doing in your home to discuss stress and/or potential depression?  Do you try to hide it from your kids?  Remember children are incredibly perceptive and pickup on much more than we adults often realize.  Trying to hide the stress may be more damaging because you can be teaching your children how “NOT TO COMMUNICATE” – how to bury their emotions (like you appear to be doing to them).  When you stress out, kids know and they usually directly feel it.  How?  Maybe you raise your voice at them more often, have less patience, or snap at them.  When this is happening, you’re taking out your stress on them (often without realizing).  They deserve better.

By talking with your teenagers openly about handling stress and/or potential signs of depression, you help create outlets and solutions for them.  For instance, you can share how working out is a great stress relief for you as a parent.  Let them know,

If we get our work done around the house, it is easier for me to get a workout in.  My workout helps me get rid of any stress I’m feeling which is great because then I am much less likely to stress out on all of you.  I don’t like it when I put my stress on you.  What stresses all of you?  What do you do to help deal with the stress you may sometimes feel?  How do you think other teenagers handle such stresses?  What are good ways to handle stress and bad ways??

Of course, you can and should incorporate a discussion on teen depression – help your teenagers understand depression is real and nothing to be ashamed of.

Share what you do to help the teenagers in your home deal with stress by “Leaving a Comment

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