Coping Skills for Children
Teaching Kids and Teens Coping Skills for Anxiety, Stress, and Big Emotions
Life has always been stressful, but in today's world, the stress and anxiety we experience are different from the stress our bodies were designed to handle. Our bodies are built to manage short bursts of stress—think of a caveman being chased by a lion. However, the stress we face today is different. From school to friendship challenges, work pressures, and societal demands, the problems we encounter are chronic and come at us from all angles.
Technology shouldn’t be the only strategy or tool to manage emotions.
As a child psychologist and therapist, in my practice, I see firsthand how many kids and teens turn to technology as their go-to way of coping with emotional distress. While this can sometimes help in the short term, it doesn’t address the root of the issue. Often, when they step away from the screen, the problem is still there. Learning effective coping skills is essential for managing emotions, including anxiety and stress, and helps build resilience that lasts a lifetime.
Strategies build lifelong resilience
Parents frequently tell me they wish they had learned the skills I teach their children when they were younger. That’s because managing emotions is a lifelong process, and life becomes more manageable when you have the tools to navigate it.
Psychologist and therapist approved strategies
There are many strategies for managing emotions, but the best ones for kids are not only effective but also simple to remember and use in the moment. A complicated, 10-step strategy may sound great in theory, but it won’t be practical when your child is having a meltdown. This principle applies to adults too. Remember the caveman? When stressed, our brains are hardwired for fight, flight, or freeze—not for deep, complex thinking.
