The hectic nature of children's lives today is seen in the number of items on the majority of their to-do lists and also in the kinds of items on those lists, according to a recent Harris Interactive poll.¹ Most students' goals for the new school year include making friends, getting better grades, studying more, participating in a club or group activity, and getting a job. The majority of 13- to 18-year-olds also reported that they want to get more sleep at night and "make time for the things I want to do."

Can you see the storm clouds of stress on the horizon for these kids? Children and teens today are under more stress than ever. By burning the candle at both ends, these kids are burning out. High stress takes its toll—kids suffering from stress are twice as likely as those with low stress to smoke, drink, get drunk, and use illegal drugs, according to a Columbia University survey.² High stress was experienced more among girls than boys, with nearly one in three girls saying they were highly stressed compared with fewer than one in four boys.³

Teaching children and teens to manage their stress helps prepare them to face challenges today and in the future. Here are a few tips to help you help your child manage stress:

• Prioritize. Talk to your child and identify what's most important—school, grades, sports, friends, a job, etc. Then, use your list of priorities to weed out what can be ignored during times of stress. For example, if playing on the high school football team is more important to your 16-year-old than his part-time job, he might want to talk to his boss about not working during football season.
• Set limits. Before your teen takes a job, the number of work hours needs to be negotiated, based on homework, other activities, and financial need.
• Limit activities. Every parent wants to raise a well-rounded child, but placing your 9-year-old in soccer, piano, dance, and art classes might be more than she can handle. Choose one or two activities that your child enjoys, and explore other interests at a different time.
• Set bedtimes, even for teens. Children and teens don't get enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of children under the age of 18 complained of being tired during the day in the past year, and 15 percent of children reported falling asleep at school during the past year.⁴ Set bedtimes, even for teens, to help your children get enough rest, and keep them away from caffeine in the hours before bedtime.
• Exercise. Physical activity eases tension and helps children and teens relax. If your child doesn't play a sport, playing outside after school or taking a long walk with you after dinner can help him manage stress.
• Eat regularly. Maintaining a regular, healthy meal plan will help your child cope with stress. Meal times are even better when your whole family sits down to eat together.
• Talk. Communicate with your child often and ask her how things are going. If she seems stressed or talks about feeling like she has too much to do, ask how you can help. Brainstorm ways that you can solve problems. For example, if your child feels she has a big problem, talk about how you might be able to break it up into smaller pieces and solve them one at a time.

Stress management can be taught, and it's one lesson that today's busy youth should learn.

¹ Harris Interactive. Back To School: A Time of Emotion and Resolve, last referenced 9/23/03.

² Associated Press. Teen Boredom, Stress Breeds Drug Use, last referenced 9/23/03.

³ Ibid.

⁴ National Sleep Foundation. Dozing Off in Class, last referenced 9/23/03.