Reducing Stress
to reduce personal and family stress
1. be sure that activities and toy are age appropriate: this will reduce
the frustration of both you and the child if they are unable to complete a task and will avoid broken
items.
2. If you are loosing your temper leave the room and slow your breathing:
This will help you prevent a temper from going over board and scaring or injuring a child. as well it will give both you and
the child time to reflect on the incident.
3.Go for a walk or soak in a bath. If things are getting overwhelming let
the other parent, a grandparent, or friend take your child for a bit if you know someone who can.
4. Light some scented candles or burn some incense: the warm glow and cool
colors of a candle as well as the relaxing scent can help set the mood for a day.
5. Take a nap with your child. dont feel bad about putting something off
for a little bit and taking a nap when your child is sleeping, Being well rested really affects someones mood.
6. Meditate together Meditate as a family (if your child is old enough)
or alone
7. Turn on some music. try some slow relaxing classical or some upbeat happy
child songs to change the mood in the house instantly, be sure to sing along.
8.get a cold drink. this goes for both adult or child, cooling off with
a drink is nice as a quick break, or get a warm one of some soothing tea (avoid black teas and coffee, aim for white teas,
green tea, camomile or anything with a name promoting relaxation)
9.Excersize regularly: Excersizing makes you more energetic and releases hormones which make
you feel happier, these 2 factors will make it easier for you to deal with stressful situations. As well sometimes it feels
good to release tension by punching or kicking a punch bag
10: Talk about it: use your words to express how you feel to the person who is making you angry,
sad, or worried. State feelings in polite, firm, and not overly aggressive or passive ways ("I feel angry when you yell at
me, please stop yelling").
11: Keep a diary or journal: writing in a diary will let you express your feelings when
you have no one to talk to or just cant share them. It will also let you reflect on your feelings and actions.
12: Smile: studies have shown smiling often, even if you arn't very happy, will make you feel
happy more often.
13: Start laughing: just burst out laughing for no reason. this will make you feel better and
will lighten the mood of others, especially children.
14: Think about yourself: be sure to spend at least 30 minutes a day just being lazy, doing a
hobby or whatever you want to do.
15: Keep things neat: Don't focus all your time on cleaning, but (like above) dedicate 30 minutes
to cleaning every day. This will always be something you can say you accomplished in a day, as well the lack of clutter will
reduce stress from steping on toys to finding your keys.
16: Call them up call a friend on the phone and just talk.
17. Redecorate: Add a bubbling fish tank, some plants, and mirrors. These will increase the peaceful
setting of a room. Try painting the walls calming colors such as cool blues or purples.
18: Cleanse when stress builds up often cleanse the house of energies and then relax and cleanse
your mind. practice blowing out the negative feelings and breathing in positive light.
19: Pamper yourself: give yourself a facial or do your nails.
20: Add some time: plan to arrive somewhere 15-30 minutes before you get there. sudden things
that would make you late (missing oyur childs show, forgotten items, ect) will be able to be taken care of
and you will still arive on time.
21: Think ahead: think a head the night before (or ealier) to plan for future events. Get all
the things you need ready in advance and try and imagine any problems you may run into and how to fix them.
22: Do something for someone else: This can be a welcome break, appreciated by others, can be
done alone or with others and make you feel good about yourself.
23: Count: count to 100 (10 isnt usually enough for adults)
24: Take time for family: family is so important, spending time iwth family will help you focus
on the joys in your life and what is important. It gives you time to share feelings and your love for each other. With children
it also helps you see the simplisity of life and what really matters.
25: Break the routine: Routines are comforting for children but after a long period can become
repetative and tiresome for adults. Try adding a new twist to routines without breaking them, sing a different song at bedtime,
Walk to the ice cream store instead of around the block, slide with your child at the playground, ect
26:.Nurse your infant: Human milk contains tryptophan (an aminoacid which makes you sleepy) not
only will it calm your child but when your nurse your body releases this hormone into your system making you feel relaxed.
It is also relaxing to cuddle when nursing.
27: Simplify: make a list of situations or activities that make you most stressed. sit down with
the family and express your feelings and brainstorm together ways that could make these times go smoother, be more simple,
or how to get added support during them.
28: Don't procrastinate: Managing your time wisely is very imporant. Procrastination often can
lead to more stress as things you put off pile up, being to rigid can also lead to more stress when something takes longer
then planned. Learning to work hard and flexible and recognise opportunities is very important. If its story time and your
child is playing happily alone go do the laundry, if you are about to mop the floor and your child keeps say "look mom" then
put the mop down or an hour. Try to plan a schedual leaving lots of time for family and some time for yourself or at least
make a list of the important things that need to be accomplished that day.
29. make sure your expectations are reasonable. Remembering children are
only physically and mentally developed to do things to a point, keep your expectations resonable, this will help
you be prepared for problems as they arise.
Also keep in mind remember no matter how much you'd like them to be, young children and infants ARE
depandant.
Some common misconceptions parents expect:
-a child of 3 months to sleep for 9 hours when sleeping through the night is
medically defined only as 5 hours.
-Know oyur childs temperment. Some are more shy, some are very sensative, some are very active,
others are quiet. Each child has different temperment and needs, don't feel bad if you give your child more then what is the
norm. DOn't expect your child to be mentally or physically ready to do something just because it's what other babies
are doing.
- Their two year old not to throw tantrums
or to begin big kid tasks. toddlers (as well as teenagers) all go through
a phase, often called 'the terrible two's' the age of 2-3 toddlers are often torn between being the baby or becoming a big
kid. Displaying their indapendance is very natural as is holding on to the baby attachment a child has with his parents. Tantrums
are a natural part of toddlers learning what is acceptable behaviour and how to work through their emotions. Encoure
a child to do their best but do not force 'big kid' actions as each toddler will preform them when they are physically and
mentally ready.
-Children to take care of themselves or to want to play alone for
hours at a time,
-a child under 3 to hear you the first time you say something or for a child
under 18 months to leave something alone when you have told them 'no''. Infants and toddlers Myelin is just forming.
Myelin is a dense, fatty substance that helps neurons send and receive messages faster and more clearly, with the lack of
Myelin it is normal for a toddler to be very slow at acting out your requests, repeat yourself up to 5 times. As well the
brains frontal lobe, which controls inhibition (aka self control) does not begin to mature until an infant is 18 months of
age (and does not become fully mature until around 22 years of age or older) as well Myelin devleops slower in the frontal
lobes then any other area. Because of this fact toddlers cannot often leave objects alone even when they know they are not
supposed to touch them. Child proof your house with saftey devices and leave only age appropriate items with the reach of
your child.
