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| Teach your teen how to handle stress |
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The stress of everyday life--school, friends, family, jobs, extracurricular activities, etc.--can really take a toll on your teen's health. Stress has been linked to weight gain, headaches, mood swings, poor grades and sleep problems.
To keep your teen's stress from overwhelming him, encourage him to: * Calm down. If he's feeling stressed, he should stop what he's doing and take a few deep breaths. Squeezing a stress ball can help alleviate tension. * Vent. Your teen could write in a journal or talk to you about what's going on. * Take a break. If math homework is stressing him out, work on history for a while. He could listen to music for a while--or go for a jog to clear his head. * Avoid procrastination. Planning ahead always helps. Have your teen talk to his teacher if he's having trouble completing a project on time. Reprinted with permission from the March 2010 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2010 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: "Advice from Teens: 10 Ways to De-Stress Your Life," TeenHealthFX, www.teenhealthfx.com/answers/teenTips/tip_3.php. |