Stress Relief for Children Ages 2 to 102

As children go back to school and we all start getting into the swing of fall, we start moving into more stressful times, schoolwise: new classes for kids of all ages, tighter routines, more responsibility. As the semester moves forward, stress over grades may creep in. Families may have less free time to just relax as sports schedules and extracurricular activities become more intense.

This stress can take a toll on kids just as stress can tax adults. It's important to have strategies for stress relief that work for children, as well as adults. There are several ways that we as parents can help our kids relieve stress, and while we're at it, it doesn't hurt to take extra care of our own stress levels as well. The following are some ideas you can put into practice starting this week for a less-stressed family (even if you don't have kids!): Stress Relief For Your Child--Or Inner Child
These strategies may have been natural favorites of your childhood--see how you can use them now for yourself and any children in your life. Clean Slate MeditationMeditation is a great stress reliever for people of all ages, though many people don't think of it as a child's stress relief tool. Here's a simple technique that can be used by everyone from young children to...well, to anyone older than that!
Cultivate Gratitude With Your Children
Cultivating gratitude can be a wonderful route to stress relief. I recommend talking to your children each night about three things that happened during the day that they are grateful for--it can help you connect, stay current on what's happening in their lives, and foster a sense of happiness in your children. Read more about the benefits of gratitude. How Can Kids Relieve Stress?
Certain stress relief practices are especially conducive to relieving stress for children. Read about how drawing, breathing exercises, and several others can be effective tools for stress management in children. Readers Respond: Top Stress Relief Strategies for Children (And Their Parents)
Whether you'd like to share your top strategies for children's stress relief, or for 'inner child' stress relief, many people could benefit from your tried-and-true strategies. Let's swap! Share your best childhood stress relievers here! You can also share your best childhood stress relief tips (and inner child stress tips) below, in the comments section, or share this blog post with the 'share' button. Have a great week!

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