Stressed-out kids? Here are the best coping strategies

Make time to listen to your child and let them share with you the stresses and challenges they are facing. No need to give any advice at first, just listen and let them share what they are struggling with.

Remind yourself and your child of the first rule of coping with stress: Try to change the things you can change, and accept the things you cannot change.

Think out loud with your child about how you have coped with similar situations in the past or how you might cope with the situation if you haven’t faced a similar stressor in the past.

Encourage your child to make a plan and then follow up in a day or two. If the first plan doesn’t seem to help, think it through together and try another plan until either the problem has changed or your child has been able to accept the problem and adapt to it.

Stress is the single most potent risk factor for mental health problems in children and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome, eating disorders and substance use. But the good news is the brain is malleable. Once positive coping skills are learned and put into practise, especially as a family, they can be used to manage stress for a lifetime.