Aug 08 2008
Back to School May Increase Stress for Kids and Teens
School is starting soon (or already has started) all over the United States, and while some kids and teens are excited to go back to school, others are stressed out by the thought of returning.
In today’s society, teens feel a lot of pressure to do well in school while participating in extracurricular activities, and maintaining a social life. It is easy for teens to become overwhelmed with all the pressure they feel. That’s why it is important for parents to do whatever they can in order to help their teens cope with stress in a healthy way to help your teen avoid turning to drugs or alcohol to deal with anxiety and stress.
In a recent report released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America 73% of teens surveyed said they engage in drug and/or alcohol abuse in order to cope with school-related stress. School-related stress was the number one reason teens turned to alcohol and drug abuse.
For this reason, it is extremely important to talk with your kids and teens about how to effectively and healthily cope with stress, and the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. I know this may be an uncomfortable thing for you to do as a parent. Your teen may just sit there and act as if she or he is not listening to you, he or she may get mad that you are invading their space to have a talk with him or her, or one may react positively to your talks. Regardless, however, your child or teenager will most likely listen to what you are saying about drugs and alcohol.
In fact, up to half of teens are less likely to use when they are informed about the risks and dangers of using alcohol and drugs from a parent or another caring adult, according to research.
This year, make talking to your kids or teens about drugs and alcohol a priority. If you need some advice on how to talk to your teen, try visiting: Time To Talk.
Tomorrow, I will talk about some alternatives you can talk about with your kids or teens regarding dealing with stress in a healthy way.
Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!
Source:
Medical News Today: Back to School More Stressful Than Parents Think
I try not to put too much pressure on my kids to do to much. I do expect them to atleast make good grades, but anything else is up to them. I also have a cousin who is a teacher and lives next door and helps my daughter with school work when I cant.
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I’m glad to hear you try not to put unreasonable expectations on your children. I agree, education is very important, and I am glad you have a teacher nearby who can help out with homework!