Parent Guide to Coping with Stress

By Leah Davies, M.Ed.

Before parents can help guide their children to cope well with their problems, parents must first take time to care for themselves. The following are ways parents can take control of their lives and manage their own stress.

• Accept yourself as an imperfect human being.
• Believe that you have value and that you can make a contribution to humanity.
• Accept responsibility for yourself and your behavior.
• Exercise.
• Eat well-balanced meals.
• Get enough rest.
• Avoid using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.
• Cultivate a hopeful attitude by saying encouraging things to yourself.
• Develop effective communication skills.
• Foster a sense of humor.
• Seek out and maintain at least one close personal friend.

• Make a list of things that you enjoy doing that are good for you.
• Arrange to do one a day.

• Write down how you see yourself one year, five years, or ten years from now.
• Share your ideas and goals with someone you trust.

• Write down at least three of your worries.
• Rank order your list by their importance in your life.
• By each worry write ACCEPT, CHANGE, or REJECT.
• For each worry decide what your first step will be toward accepting, changing or rejecting it.
• Carry out the steps you listed.