When it comes to stress relief, many of us think about the things that bother us as adults: bills, transportation, work issues, family life and more. But stress is not just for adults, and many children, even younger ones, suffer from problems with stress, too. By teaching your children healthy ways to cope with stress at a young age, you can help them develop healthy habits that will help them become happier adults.
Stress in Kids?
Many children become stressed due to a troubled home life. Problems like divorce, a long-distance move, serious illness, abuse and more all cause significant amounts of stress in a child's life. But there are less traumatic events, like peer pressure and teasing, that can also cause a child to feel stressed out.
Unlike the past, families are not as connected as they once were, and children may lack the support systems needed to help them cope. It is up to parents to teach their children about stress and a healthy way to handle it. There are several activities that you can try with kids as young as three.
Another common reason for stress in kids is taking on too many activities. My childhood seems a lot simplier than my sons. Todays kids have a lot going on in comparison. School, karate, soccer, swimming amongst other things. Its good to keep kids busy and involved, but at the same time they need their downtime too to recharge, or else they may feel overwhelmed and the result can be behaviorial issues.
Here are a few tips to help your kids de-stress.
READ More on Kids Need to Learn Stress Relief, Too
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by Jennifer Shakeel
Whether you just found out that your child has ADD or this is something that you have been dealing with for a while, it’s important that you know you don’t have to go through this on your own. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t go through this alone. If you what you want is to see your child succeed you and your “village” need to be involved in the proper care and guidance of your ADD child.
Your “village” includes the child’s entire family. This is first and foremost. Talk with the immediate family and the extended family. These are the people that see your child the most. Don’t label your child, and don’t let other’s in the family label him or her. They aren’t “special” and they aren’t “problem children”. Those are two labels that drive me up the wall. When people ask, “Did he/she take their meds today,” don’t answer that question. Respond with “Everyone has days that are more difficult then others.” The family needs to focus more on the resolutions then the problem and they need to work together as a unit. Here are a few guidelines for the family:
READ More on Parenting a Child with ADHD - It will take a Village
by Jennifer Shakeel
As a parent, we want to do all we can to help our children. We want to see them succeed, feel as though they belong, have high self esteem and desire to achieve their dreams. When your child suffers with ADD/ADHD encouraging them to dream, and to strive for greatness can be difficult. They may be feeling alone, unconnected and frustrated. While you try to encourage them, sometimes it just isn’t enough. So here is a list of famous people who have Attention Deficit Disorder and are among the best in their field or industry.
Famous Inventers and Great Minds:
- Alexander Graham Bell – He invented the telephone
- Leonardo Di Vinci – A famous artist and inventor
- Thomas Edison - His teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything!
- Albert Einstein - Physicist – Did you know that Einstein was four years old before he
could speak, and seven before he could read
READ More on You and Your Famous Company - Famous People with ADHD
Filed under Child Development, Health, Parenting by More4kids
Without a doubt global warming is one of the biggest problems that the world is facing today, and will continue to be a large problem in our kids lives. However, many of its effects will fall upon future generations - unless it is stopped or slowed down dramatically. There is a lot that we can do right now, but it is also important to get the children of today involved in the fight against global warming.
Teaching kids the dangers of Global Warming
Educating and involving our children is one way to get our kids interested. We need to involve them through conversations and activities and show them what they can do to help the cause. Education through involvement is key. We must find creative ways to show children what problems global warming has already caused, and what problems it could, and most probably will cause in the future. This will help bring forth curiosity about what contributions out kids can make to help change things.
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Filed under Activities, Education and School, Family, Health by More4kids
by Jennifer Shakeel
Family is important for all children, and even more so for the child with ADD/ADHD. What happens at home and how they are treated and interacted with will carry over into other aspects of their life at school, later on with work and it will help them build relationships. I know first hand that parenting a child with ADD/ADHD can be overwhelming and at times take its toll on the family. Frustration and chaos do not have to be a way of life for you, your child or your family. Here are things that you can do to make sure that the entire family is involved and the needs of everyone are being met.
READ More on The Importance Of The Family For The Child With ADHD
by Jennifer Shakeel
I have yet to find another job in the world that is more challenging then that or parenting. You are constantly faced with the questions of whether or not you are doing a good job as a parent, teaching your child the difference between right and wrong in hopes that they grow up to be productive, respectful people. This is compounded when you are raising a child that has ADHD.
I am not going to try to lecture from a medical standpoint on what to do as a parent for your child with ADHD. I am not a therapist of any sort and the medical experience that I do have is removed from what I am about to talk to you about. I am a parent and my child has ADD/ADHD. Believe me when I tell you I understand the struggle you are having right now and the guilt that you carry with you. I would bet that much like me, you were told by teachers or saw the warning signs and refused to admit that there was anything “wrong” with your child. Let me tell, there isn’t anything wrong with your child, your child with ADHD requires different things then a child that does not have ADHD.
READ More on Parenting a Child with Attention Deficit Disorder
Easter candy is almost a tradition in most households. 
Every year moms try to decide what to give their kids for Easter. No doubt the kids would prefer candy and chocolate. However, it is a good idea to include some healhier alternatives. There are many healthy replacements for Easter candy baskets you can try. Here are a few tips and ideas.
Instead of chocolate or marshmallow candy, try filling or including with:
* Fruits and cookies. You can bake natural cookies at home that taste yummy.
* Mini boxes of raisins and low fat candies.
* Stuffed bunny rabbits and jelly beans, which are low in calories.
* A basket of brightly colored plastic eggs; with coins inside each egg.
* Coloring books and crayons.
* Small toys for either girls or boys.
* Peanut butter cookies and mini bran muffins.
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Hillary Clinton and Rep. John Dingell today introduced the Childrens First Health Act. If passed. it will make health care for children more affordable and help plug the whole of some 9 million children in the US that do not have health insurance. Politically I have not made any decisions yet for president and I know health care is reform is widely debated. I look at this issue not only from a parent but also from a child who had chronic health issues, was hospitalized, and visited the emergency room many many times. To me its a crime so many parents in the U.S. have to skimp on their childrens health care because of rising costs or just not being able to pay for it. Our children are our future. I don't feel its a matter of whether we can afford it or not, its more of a matter that we can no longer afford not to.
Here is Hillary's video where she explains her proposal and justification for the Children's First Health Act.
Childhood asthma is near and dear to me. As a child I was hospitalized and visited the emergency room so many times I cannot even count. An asthma attack is very scary for both the parent and child. If a parent thinks their child is having an asthma attack it is important for the parent to remain calm and call 911 or a competent medical professional immediately. I cannot empasis enough for the parent to remain calm since raising the anxiety of a child will only make things worse. Now, on with the article on some things as a parent that will be helpful to know and watch out for:
Filed under Health by More4kids Inc.
Good nutrition does more than feed your children’s bodies—it also feeds their brains. Eating the right nutrients helps children’s brains develop and grow so that they can think more clearly and handle stress better. For example, a study of 200 students found that eating bananas for breakfast on the day of an exam helped the students stay more alert. READ More on Nutrition - Feeding Your Childs Brain!
