International Pillow Fight Day: You and Your Child Relieving Stress

Even though I missed out on International Pillow Fight Day, this year as it was held on April 7th, it reminds me that having a pillow fight with your children can be a great stress reliever for all.  Make sure to set down a few ground rules like only using soft pillows and no hits to the face or head.  They laughter and fun that will ensue will be remembered for years to come.  Consider making it a monthly family event.  Be sure to get the teens involved.  It may help to eleviate some tension that many parents experience between themselves and their teens.

Letting Your Children Play Hooky From Their Life

I just got home from a very stressful time taking care of my mother in the hospital.  I have been so stressed out, that I have allowed myself to play hooky for the better part of the day.  Every once in a while it is a good idea to take a break from your hectic life and just take a day for yourself.  This can be a day without children or a day with them if you think they are feeling stressed out by their hectic life.  Maybe you need to take one of each kind.

Consider this as a sick day from work and school.  Mental health can require a sick day just as much as the flu .  There is much research to support that stress can make you physically sick, so as a counselor I am suggesting to you that you and your children may need to take a mental health day every once in a while.  I know that I will be much more productive tomorrow, having taken one today.

Changing Two Little Words in Your Vocabulary Can Eliminate Much of Your Family's Holiday Stress

During the holiday season stress can reach an all time high in the lives of many of of our families.  Changing two words in our vocabulary, and our children's  vocabulary may make all the difference.  Replacing the words "need-to" or "have-to" with "choose-to" in our vocabulary gives us a sense of power over what is going on in our lives and therefore reduces our stress.  Start yourself thinking that everything in life is a choice.  Even going to work is a choice.  You choose to go to work so that you get paid and you don't get fired.  Sounds to simple to be true, give it a try and see if it makes a difference in your family's stress level this holiday season.  What could it hurt to try,  I hope it makes as much of a difference in the your family's stress level as it does in mine.  The only problem with this technique is that I sometimes slip back into my "have-to" ways when I am really busy and must remind myself, or have my children remind, that everything is indeed a choice.

A Parent Feeling Overwelmed

Today, my post is going to be therapuetic for me. I am finding myself overwelmed and totally stressed out by the amount of things that have been thrown at me in the last two weeks. Helping someone and her two dogs move out of our house, sick parents times two, sick dog, cleaning all my carpets and moving my furniture back into the house, truck breaking down and having to purchase a new car, two 9 hour car rides, and the pending five day visit of a family of five. I am not saying that all of these things are bad, but they certainly are all causing a rise in my blood pressure. I think that we are living in a time due to the economy and the state of affairs around the world where we are finding ourselves stressed out more than ever. I thought I would share with you what is working for me and what isn't.

One thing that doesn't work to lower my stress is when someone (you know who you are) tells me that so many people have it worse then we do. I know that, but that does make my stuff feel any smaller. It still seems overwelming to me. Some things that I do when I am feeling as if the world is using me as a punching bag are: taking a long leisurely walk (intense exercise works for some people but not me), nice long bubble bath while listening to soothing music, cranking up some of my favorite sing along tunes and singing as loud as I can, deep breathing, journaling, venting with a friend, and talking it through with God. I share these techniques with you, not in the hopes that you will use what works for me, but that you find what lowers your stress level and use them. We are not the best parents that we can be to our children when we are stressed out and it helps our children learn how to deal with their stress when they see us doing it. Stress is not going to go away, we just need to learn better ways of dealing with it.

Taking Care of Yourself During the Stressful Times Surrounding Divorce

It is very important that you take care of yourself during the stressful times before, during and after a divorce. Make sure that you are eating right. I know that often times when we are depressed, we don't feel like eating. It's important that you keep up your stregnth, eat whether you feel like it or not.

Surround yourself with a group of friends and family that love you to confide in. If there isn't anyone you feel comfortable talking to, or the people that you are looking to for support are not helping you in the way you need, consider getting some professional help. Seek a counselor through your insurance provider or through your church community. Do not give in to the urge to talk to your children about how you are feeling. Although this may help you with how you are feeling, it may be harmful to your child's well-being.

Stress can be both physically and mentally destructive. Manage your stress at this time by doing things that reduce your stress like meditation, deep breathing, drawing, journaling, listening to music or exercise. Find what works for you. Consider including your children when you are engaging in stress management activities, they're experiencing stress too.

Laughter is the best stress reducer. Because of the way that our brains work, it doesn't matter whether we are truly laughing or just faking it, the result is the same. I suggest that you look in the mirror and "pretend" laugh for one minute. The funny thing about pretend laughing in the mirror is that it typically ends in real laughter.