Wholistic Solutions to Stress
by Lisa Marshall
A bit of childhood stress is inevitable,
and can even be motivating when
taken in small doses, experts say. But
parents can do much to help kids bet-
ter manage it.
Set aside relaxation time: “There is
such a thing as preventative mental
health,” says Lawrence Shapiro, Ph.D.,
author of The Relaxation and Stress
Reduction Workbook for Kids. “You
Botanicals: Webb recommends calm-
When his son’s art instructor suggested
wouldn’t let your kids go a day without
ing herbal tinctures, such as catnip and
passionflower, for quieting a child in the
his 7-year-old might have a gift for
brushing their teeth. Don’t let them go
throes of a stressful moment. Lavender,
art, he found himself sifting through
a day without relaxing.”
in either a tea or a bath, can be effec-
catalogues, looking for just the right
He recommends that children of
all ages carve out at least 15 minutes
tive in reducing anxiety. Better yet, brew
after school course or summer class to
each day for focused relaxation. Put on
some tea and allow your child to sit in nurture his budding Picasso’s special
soothing music, ask them to breathe
the bath with it for 20 minutes, breath- talent. When his son got the news, he
deeply and close their eyes, and then
ing in the lavender-laced steam.
looked at his father, dumfounded, and
leave them alone. asked, “Why do grownups have to take
Exercise: Shapiro and Webb both rec-
over everything?”
Sleep: Sleep produces the calming,
ommend at least 30 minutes of free,
“I realized I had lost my bearings
feel-good brain chemical serotonin,
outdoor play per day.
as a parent,” Honoré says. He backed
while lack of sleep results in too much
Limit screen time: Never allow your
off and ended up writing a book about
of the “fight-or-flight” brain chemi-
child to have a TV or computer in their
it. He now takes care to ask himself
cal, cortisol. A child who doesn’t get
room, advises parenting expert Charles
what his motives are before guiding his
enough sleep won’t handle stress as
well. According to the National Sleep
Fay, Ph.D. Also, keep screen time to an
son toward an activity: Is it for me, or is
Foundation, toddlers need 12 to 14
absolute minimum for youths under 2 it for him?
hours and preschoolers 11 to 13 hours.
years old. Keep the volume down (loud Meanwhile, this grassroots re-
Kids ages 5 to 12 do well with 10 to 11
noises can aggravate stress) and be par-
searcher is optimistic that “The pendu-
hours of sleep and teens with about 9
ticularly wary of television if your child
lum is beginning to swing back,” and
hours.
is already prone to hyperactivity.
that a backlash against hyper-parents
“If kids are predisposed to hyper-
and stressed-out kids is upon us.
Nutrients: Brandy Webb, a
activity, too much TV will exacerbate
In 2008, Toronto became one of
naturopathic doctor in Tacoma,
that predisposition,” Shapiro notes.
Also, overuse of electronic media—
the first jurisdictions in North America
Washington, and adjunct faculty mem-
such as video games and Internet social
to crack down on excess homework, all
ber at Bastyr University, says certain
groups—could be a warning sign that
but eliminating it in elementary grades
nutrients can go a long way in coun-
teracting the physical impacts of stress.
the child is stressed. “A lot of the most
and banning it during weekends and
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty
stressed-out kids I deal with gravitate holidays. Meanwhile, communities
fish, flax seed, certain nuts and dietary
toward those things as unhealthy coping across the United States have begun to
supplements, can counteract the in-
mechanisms,” comments Webb.
host “Ready, Set, Relax” days, where all
flammatory response that comes with
While social networking tools
homework and extracurricular activities
stress. This also helps fend off problems
like Facebook, instant messaging and
are canceled.
such as headaches and muscle aches,
Internet chat rooms don’t necessarily
On a smaller scale, experts say the
which can come with stress-induced
cause stress, experts advise, a child who
revolution toward less stressed-out kids
inflammation.
spends too much time with them may
get behind on homework, adding to
can begin when parents look at their
Stressed-out kids burn through
their stress.
kids in a new light. As Pope puts it:
critical nutrients, particularly cal-
Worse yet, they’ll rob themselves
“We need to love the kid before us, not
cium, so a balanced diet is critical.
Magnesium supplements are known
of time spent playing face-to-face with
the kid we want them to be.”
to help relieve anxiety and stress.
friends outdoors in the fresh air. Watch
Vitamins C and E boost immune
any kid at play: There is no better stress Lisa Marshall is a freelance writer
function.
reliever.
and mother of four in Colorado.
August 2009 35
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