Counselor's Corner
East Wilkes Middle School
Dear Families,
Thanks,
Shannon Cox, School Counselor
Support For Teens
Managing Stress
Some sources of stress that adolescents often face are:
- School demands
- Negative self-image
- Peer relationship issues
- Unsafe/unstable home life
- Changes in family dynamics
- Death of loved one
- Moving or changing schools
- Too many demands/desire to "do it all"
When adolescents are overwhelmed with stress, that can lead to anxiety, depression, aggression, or poor coping skills and decision making. As parents, you can help your child successfully navigate stress in the following ways:
- Monitor your child's behavior and notice any major changes
- Listen carefully, talk less :)
- Learn and model stress management techniques
- Limit their social media time; monitor online activities (learn about their technology!)
- Support involvement in pro-social activities while considering COVID precautions
Here are some healthy ways students can cope with stress. It's important to have conversations with your child about these techniques and practice them together.
- Exercise & eat health snacks & meals
- Get enough sleep; have consistent bedtime (free from technology)
- Avoid too much caffeine
- Practice deep breathing or muscle relaxation techniques
- Learn practical coping skills (i.e. taking a large task and breaking it down to smaller, more achievable tasks)
- Decrease negative self-talk. Practice turning negative thoughts into positive ones- write them down in visible place.
- Listen to music, draw, write, chat with a friend
- Get outside
- Take a break from social media
Practicing these techniques on a regular basis can help teens reduce and manage stress. Take time to discuss with your child what makes them feel stressed and practice a skill together.
Resiliency
Click the following link to a helpful article on children and resiliency. Start a conversation in your household about this. What do you think about children being resilient? How can you help your child be resilient?
Contact Me
East Wilkes Middle School
School Counselor
Email: coxs@wilkes.k12.nc.us
Location: 2202 Macedonia Church Road, Ronda, NC, USA
Phone: 336-651-4300