Running Head: STRESS MANAGEMENT AND PARENTING
Stress Management and Parenting
Table of Contents
Stress Management and Parenting 2
Introduction : Parenting and Stress 2
Signs, symptoms and impact of Stress 3
Tips on how to cope with stress (Stress Management) 3
Tip 1: Accept that not all things can be changed 4
Tip 2: Take time to relax 4
Tip 3: Try and develop yourself 5
Tip 4: Remind yourself that they are not doing it intentionally 5
Tip 5: Try and Listen to them 5
Tip 6: Identify trusted networks 6
Tip 7: Admit that you are undergoing stress 6
Tip 8: Establish a less strenuous Environment 7
Tip 9: Manage your anxiety 7
Tip 10: Be Organized 7
Conclusion 8
References 9
Annotated Bibliography on Stress Management and Parenting 10
Stress Management and Parenting
Introduction: Parenting and Stress
We are all, in our personal lives as well as business lives mandated to work under stress to follow the laid down rules and to create compatibility on the work environment as well as with others. We are expected to interact with other colleagues, supervisors, friends, and family members. We are required to do this without causing any difficult situation to ourselves as well as to others (McCoy, 2010). Each and every new day comes with new challenges that can easily mount onto ones nerves; we must therefore do much to handle our business and personal lives in the most effective way. Parenting on the other hand, is the process of development and upholding the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of a person from being an infant to being an adult. Good parenting helps in the management of stress hence their relation is a matter of consideration.
Signs, symptoms and impact of Stress
There has been a huge difference on the variability of parenting on the family aspect with children with development inability (George H.S. Singer, 2007). Researchers have held a belief about the negative impacts that accrues from parenting; chronic sorrow, mental and physical health; high rates of divorce and psychosocial issues in children. Strategic efforts should therefore be employed to enhance attitudes, skills and resources that are aimed at reducing stress a well as buffering it so as to yielding positive results. Parents that experience development disabilities have varied and unusual levels of stress, researchers have varied forms of depressive symptoms as signs of stress in families; elevated level of risk on illness and accidents, low satisfaction levels and increased level of drug abuse (Smith, M. 2011). There hence arises the desire for interventions that would result to management of these symptoms more so for the mothers. A comparison of parents with and without children with poor abilities, Singer reports that there arose a small but constant variation in the levels of stress for the mothers in the past 20 or so years. He notes that approximately 10% increase of parents with stress where around 35% of the mothers experience high levels of depression signs.
Tips on how to cope with stress (Stress Management)
From the time of conception parents are faced with varied feelings of anger, frustration, worries and stress. But with effective and efficient stress management methods, parents are able to learn how to working standard, the family situation that tend to heat up and leave you one facing child discipline issues. Dr. Robyn (2008) tries to address the varied ways parents are able to cope with stress. Stress is a part of life and learning the varied ways to cope with them with provides a great deal of relief as one goes through his or her daily life.
Tip 1: Accept that not all things can be changed
One should first and foremost accept things that they cannot change. Parents undergo varied forms of life patterns that tend to affect them for a larger part of their life. Life situations that are like single parenting, ADHD parenting and Tip parenting as well as the costs that come with parenting like bills (Silverman, 2008). This and more of them are things that one cannot control they do just happen and drooling oneself over them would certainly be a long-term effect that would result to adverse effects later in life that would be had to control. We neither run away from it nor can we solve it effectively.
Tip 2: Take time to relax
Parenting of infants all the way to adulthood comes with several challenges that tend to eat up a person’s head. Stress is normally the result and at times it could be quite fatal (Guide, 2009). The best way to handle this is to take time and breathe; being calm and being away of the stressful situation helps to reduce the levels of stress. While still in this state, try and count the blessings that you have. Taking time and reflecting on what you have achieved will surely play part in the management of stress. Instances like your child’s success in sports or class or your spouse accomplish a project he or she wanted badly brings an aspect success.
Tip 3: Try and develop yourself
Giving time so as to develop or advance you is an aspect of key consideration. Most parents take most of their time thinking of others and how they are to take their life’s occurrence; teenagers end up creating an opposition to this as they see it as a sense of establishing control on them (Kristen Zolten, 1997). Giving oneself time to read a book, watch movies, spending time with friends or family is a Tip towards productivity. When considering college students, take a break from the media, because news related to insecurity are quite prominent and are bound to rise you stress levels. Hence doing things keep you occupied will make your stress levels to decline or kept at bay (Lynn Bufka, 2011). Decompressing life experiences and trends enhances one’s production levels.
Tip 4: Remind yourself that they are not doing it intentionally
“What is very critical is the age of the child” says Norma Feshbach, a PhD professor. Norma recommends that when handling babies, toddlers and young children one needs to take time and remind yourself that are not doing so just to evoke you. The common mistake that parents are causing for themselves is the attribution of way too much to the interaction with the child. The children are far from trying to be difficult, they are simply trying to be independent in the way they express themselves which they know best. The thought that the child is far from evoking you frustration is enough to make you feel less frustrated and stressed.
Tip 5: Try and Listen to them
Good listening skills when handling teens as well as communication technique is necessary to easing the stress that is majorly associated with the teen generation (Mitchell, 2008). The teenage hood is considered the most difficult stage in life; parents are driven up the walls and most often than not clash. This is the most common way that stress in parenting arises. Parents just simply lack the technique to understand and talk to them. As much as communication is needed, listening on the part of the parent is also important. Parents who do not take time to listen are faced with stress and frustration. Teenagers tend to respond better when they are talked to with respect and being appreciated when they are doing right instead on what they are doing wrong.
Tip 6: Identify trusted networks
In the event of stress, parents are advised to have trusted connection with a network of friends who you can chat with and help you go about your stress. The first Tip to relieving is to accepting it and talking it out with friends or trusted people. This enables the parent to recollect him or herself and take more less strenuous methods to handle the situation. The thought of having people to talk to, more so the ones who have gone through the same situation, brings relief and ways to resolve it (Silverman, 2008). Stress is hence handled out in the most effective way known to the network of trusted friends starting with knowing that there are other people who have gone through the same things.
Tip 7: Admit that you are undergoing stress
It is quite easy for parents to get drained out by stress, it is therefore necessary to first admit that one is undergoing a strenuous situation for it to be effectively managed. Always take a short quick brisk stroll outside. One is encouraged to leave the house, building or the environment and enjoy the physical nature (MS, 2011). A breath of fresh air, the seeing of a well-placed physical setting that involves trees, flowers, even rain tends to stimulate a person’s senses with new features. This may as well be enhanced with self-talk that adds to the distraction and include activities like kicking a football or jumping.
Tip 8: Establish a less strenuous Environment
According to Feshbach it involves work to establish a less strenuous environment, consequently on is able to face the tough economic and social challenges. He recommends, taking time to be with family and friends, establishing some routines that you will be doing in the house, asking for help from other family members with the household work, try to allocate time to discuss the various issues the family is facing and always focus on appreciating each other and what they do for the family.
Tip 9: Manage your anxiety
In the event of stress in the family one is advised to keep their cool in addition to creating a suitable environment that is caring and loving. One is advised to manage anxiety; it is a normal occurrence and necessary in certain circumstances. However, excessive anger will certainly make you to feel less clearly and consumes most of your energy. Seeking the issues that trouble you and attempting to address them effectively is the best Tip to take (Stress Management, 2010). The information gotten can be quite useful in doing away with fears that are related to uncertainty.
Tip 10: Be Organized
Being organized is one thing that most parents lack, considering the daily activities they are engaged in. Organization is important to making better use of time and energy. Avoid postponing things that need to be done (Segal, J et al. 2011). Food is known to ease stress, more so nutritious foods. Parents should take time to being healthy by taking the right types of food. Unhealthiness and stress is related to poor eating habits.
Conclusion
Stress is common in every person, it comes with varied consequences that we should be determined to change by putting in place an effective and efficient management practices. Stress is considered fatal and these Tips should be put into place so as to reduce them. Stress may not be done away with completely but can be reduced to a certain minimum. Every rise of new stress should be handled differently while others are handled just the same way. Parents are advised to first accept this state and then take the necessary Tips to reducing it. Stress is part of life but what varies is how we all manage the stress we experience.
References
Guide, H. (2009, December 10th). HOW TO REDUCE, PREVENT, AND COPE WITH STRESS. Stress Management, pp. 2-4.
Kristen Zolten, M. a. (1997). STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR PARENTS. CENTRE FOR EFFECTIVE PARENTING.
Mitchell, J. (2008). Stress Management to Help Teens Cope. Parenting Teens.
MS, E. S. (2011, May 14). Parenting Stress and Depression: Who’s At Risk And Why? The Challenges of Parenting.
Segal, J et al. (2011). Quick Stress Relief. Retrieved June 29, 2011, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/quick_stress_relief.htm
Smith, M. (2011). Understanding Stress: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Effects. Retrieved July 25, 2011, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm
Annotated Bibliography on Stress Management and Parenting
1.0. Full Title: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EFFECTS OF PARENTING AND STRESS MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: A META-ANALYSIS. MENTAL RETARDATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEWS
Key words: Primary, Secondary, Parenting, Stress, development, disabilities, research
Reference: George H.S. Singer, B. L. (2007). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EFFECTS OF PARENTING AND STRESS MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES: A META-ANALYSIS. MENTAL RETARDATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEWS, pp. 357-369.
This journal is a meta-analysis research for parents with children with disabilities on development which was carried out to characterize the treatments of minimizing signs and stress in these parents.
2.0. Full Title: Stress management tips for parents of college students in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings
Key words: Stress Management, parents, college students.
Reference: Lynn Bufka, P. N.-S. (2011). Stress management tips for parents of college students in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings. American Psychological Association.
This journal attempts to provide tips for parents who are stressed by their children who are at college. It lays reference to the Virginia Tech shooting which was viewed all over the world, presenting the stress that parents undergo with children who are in college.
3.0. Full Title: Parenting and Stress Management
Key words: Parenting, Stress Management
Reference: McCoy, K. (2010). Parenting and Stress Management. Everyday Health.
This journal attempts to provide the relevant ways to cool down parents who are experiencing hard times with their children. The ways are meant to present the parent with means to relax him or herself and consequently reduce stress.
4.0. Full Title: The ABCs of Parenting and Stress Management: 26 Ways to Get Through the Most Trying Days.
Key words: Parenting, Stress Management
Reference: Silverman, D. R. (2008). The ABCs of Parenting and Stress Management: 26 Ways to Get Through the Most Trying Days. Dr. Drobbin Silverman.
The journal is meant to provide parents with a peace of mind with the ABC s of coping with toddlers, battling teens and facing the facts that parenting is not easy and hence quite stressful.
5.0. Full Title: Children with Special Needs.
Key words: Stress Management, children
Reference: Stress Management. (2010). About.com: Children with Special Needs.
This journal article attempts to present the varied ways that parents are able to manage their stress in relation to children with special needs. The techniques are meant to help the parent to take control of him or herself.
