TEACH CHILDREN TO MANAGE STRESS

Two thirds of adults feel constant dread caused by daily stresses. Emma says we need to prepare the next generation

rowing up, I was G overwhelmed with anxiety; an allconsuming feeling of being unable to meet other people’s expectations. I wish someone had explained why I felt that way – and how to deal with it. My teenage boys now have to navigate an even more complicated and pressured world, so I help them to do that. Before you can help your kids deal with their stress, you have to manage your own. Make sure that you are exercising, eating a healthy diet, digitally detoxing regularly and talking through your stresses so that your feelings don’t become unmanageable. When you are handling your stress, you can guide your kids. I am honest with my boys about life; they know that there are always second chances, and that their worth isn’t measured by exams. They understand that they will always be loved and that I will be there for them for as long as I can be. They know they will always have a roof over their heads and food in their tummies, because that is my promise, and they also acknowledge that there is no right or wrong way to live, so long as you try your best and are as kind as you can be. These foundations are the key to helping kids deal with pressure, because it gives them perspective and a sense of security, which allows them to take risks and grow in resilience. Mums have a unique power to take even the biggest worry and reframe it into something manageable, then help kids to find solutions, so nothing feels insurmountable.