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We still go nostalgic about how free we were in our childhood days and compare our days with today’s kids. Today it’s a different world. It is very important to learn Coping Skills for Kids in today’s world as it’s not that easy anymore to live a playful life of childhood.
They are fully exposed to so much information through the internet, both good and bad. Plus , as a society, we have provided them with a world full of prejudices. So they are more sensitive than we were. So help them understand what they are going through and learn coping skills for kids to help them out in difficult situations.
1. Identify Your Kid’s Feelings
As parents or guardians, we should know coping skills for kids beforehand. Before that, we need to identify what exactly they are going through anger, anxiety, depression, or trauma. Dealing with the situations should be done according to the emotions they are going through.
A child’s emotion can be identified easily, as they cannot hide their
emotions as we adults can do. It could be identified if:
- A very talkative child has gone silent suddenly
- He is having nightmares
- He is Finding reasons to skip schools
- He is not leaving your side at all or closing himself in a room
Any absurd change could be taken as a red flag , and an immediate approach is
required.
2. Coping Skills For Stress And Trauma
- Talking - Children, if not taken care of regularly can cut you off from their lives. Being friends with them always helps. So try talking, but not suddenly, sow a seed of trust, water it daily, and become good friends with them. Only then can they take refuge in you when in need.
- Express yourself - In the world of materialism, we forget about human relations and often don’t express them to our loved ones, taking them for granted. Kids learn from adults. Just like they learn to talk and walk by seeing us, they learn to express themselves from us too. So, show up your big feelings of love and care.
- Daily Motivation – Adults get tired easily , working all day throughout the week. Similarly, kids also have a tight schedule to follow. So like us, they also need a daily
encouragement or motivation to continue. We can deal with stress easily, but we need to learn. So offer a consolatory prize for their daily work, give them gifts, perks, and keep them motivated.
3. Anxiety Issues
It’s common for kids to feel anxious over little things. Don’t Judge them or point out their issues as trivial matters. It is big for them, so try resolving their way and help them out.
- Give them space – Most parents do not feel that their child needs space to find things by himself and grow . Giving space is one of the best coping skills for kids; if not given space, either your kid will develop irritability or he will become dependent on you for everything. Let them eat their favorite snacks, pick their friends, select their clothes, etc. This way , they will discover and learn to live on their own.
- Set a Routine activity – Involve them in Physical activities on a routine basis. Do deep breathing exercises, Meditation, and Yoga regularly with them. Encourage healthy habits like timely eating, sleeping, and waking up. This will keep them in a loop calm their mind, and lower further anxiety 1episodes.
- Calm down the room – one of the coping skills for kids who have a history of trauma and stress is fixing a deal with it. So , set up a room or a refuge place for your kid , ask him to put everything he loves in it, and calm him down. So that when he feelsstressed, he can find refuge in the room.
4. Losing Connect
When kids grow old, they start detaching from their parents and keeping their lives within themselves. Of course, it’s natural for kids to go this way , but parents should make sure that they keep in touch with their kids, befriend them , and ask them about their day.
- Break rules with them – Strict parents may lead children to the verge of lying and deceiving. Rules are necessary to keep them in control , but stricter rules will urge them to break them. So make rules but fix a day when you break rules with them. This will keep your authority and friendliness in parallel.
- Family activities – Coping skills for kids are not a survival strategy with kids, but it’s a way to connect. Work-life makes you busy, and It’s until the weekend they get to see you. So make their patience worth it. Plan something out, Go for family dinners, Family picnics, long drives, a movie night, Ritual Game playing, or some physical activities like cycling, trekking, cricket, etc. Decide a day for each activity beforehand so that your kid remains motivated throughout the week.
- Invite their friends over – If your child always looks tired, shows no interest in family activities , and hardly shows up for dinners. Then try to take help from their friends. Ask them to invite their friends over for dinner or to family activities. This way , they will grow a friendship with you and start trusting you with their problems.
5. Dealing With Anger Issues
Some kids deal with anger issues, and they don’t know how to channel it and often do things impulsively when angry. Coping skills like Punishing them is not healthy coping skills for kids. Anger is just an emotion; they are not big enough to hide their feelings or regulate their extreme emotions. So to help them out:
- Model good behavior – Anger issues could be genetic or sometimes come in kids by learning from adults. So be a good role model. Control your anger issues if you want to control your kid’s anger. Teach them social, emotional, and ethical values.
- Read a Book to them at bedtime – Read stories of the good deeds of gentle people. Introduce to them the real-life characters who believed in non-violence. Show them how non-violence is one of the good coping skills for kids and make story-time a routine. This will keep them calm, engage their mind, and prevent bad temper.
6. Disappointment
- Teach children what can’t be controlled – Sometimes, kids get upset and disappointed for things , not in their control. For example, when their favorite animal dies, they can get disappointed and depressed for a long time. So one of the best coping skills for kids who feel disappointed and get sad most often is to tell them the truth. Make them understand that life and death are not in our control. Teach kids what is in their control and what isn’t. Help them move forward in life and learn some truths in life.
7. Depression
If you won’t learn coping skills for kids and remain ignorant, there are chances that your child, who is constantly feeling those extreme emotions, slip into depression. So keep up with your child. Try the coping skills for kids, and if nothing helps, then take the experts’ help.
Like physical health, mental health2 should be primary care too. So seek help from doctors when you get the slightest hint of it, and the coping skills for kids aren’t helping anymore.
Hints that he is feeling stressed and on the verge of slipping into depression could be:
- a change in appetite
- anxiety attacks
- extreme mood swings
- lack of interest in family activities or school activities
- low self-confidence
First, try out talking. Gain his confidence in you, ask about his feelings. Listen to him. Don’t judge if the issue is trivial. Give them full support as you never know if your kid might be at the edge of breaking. So always provide full confidence.
8. Unhealthy Coping Skills For Kids
- Avoiding situations is an unhealthy coping strategy. Not addressing the situation gives only temporary relief, and in the long run, it’s not workable. If you teach your kids to avoid and escape situations, they will grow underconfident and will never be strong enough to face the world. and this could lead to depression3 and addiction problems
Teach them a healthy coping strategy of “talking out.” ask them to face the situation, not run from it. It will make them strong, confident, and ready for the world.
9. Coping Skills For Kids Workbook
It is a resource for parents who want their kids to learn to cope and understand their Behavior. This workbook is like a primer on cognitive Behavioral therapy, through which parents can teach their kids to reframe their cognitive skills and feel calmer and in control.
The kids’ Coping skills include 75 coping skills for kids to try; it has 20 printable worksheets, related YouTube videos, and Website information for Parents to follow.
10. Conclusion
Teaching coping skills to kids is of paramount importance for their emotional, psychological, and social development. These skills empower children to navigate life’s challenges, build resilience, and manage stress in healthy ways. By providing children with a diverse toolkit of coping strategies, we can equip them to handle various situations, emotions, and conflicts.
Coping skills for kids should encompass a range of techniques, including emotional expression, problem-solving, relaxation, communication, and self-care. These skills can help children regulate their emotions, communicate their needs effectively, and develop a positive self-image. Furthermore, learning to cope with difficulties at a young age can have long-lasting benefits, promoting mental well-being and preventing the development of maladaptive behaviors in the future.
Parents, caregivers, educators, and mental health professionals play crucial roles in teaching and reinforcing coping skills. It is essential to create a supportive environment where children feel safe expressing their feelings and learning from setbacks. Modeling healthy coping behaviors and providing guidance when necessary can help children internalize and use these skills throughout their lives.
Dealing with kids isn’t a cakewalk, but things could get easier if you focus on healthy coping strategies. New parents must learn healthy coping skills for kids, be prepared and note down the focused coping skills for dealing with their growing child.
FAQs
1. Are some coping skills more effective for certain age groups?
A. Yes, certain coping skills may be more suitable for specific age groups. For example, simple deep breathing exercises might work well for younger children, while older kids might benefit from journaling or practicing mindfulness techniques.
2. How can schools promote coping skills among students?
A. Schools can promote coping skills by incorporating social-emotional learning programs, teaching stress-management techniques, providing safe spaces for expression, training teachers to recognize signs of emotional distress, and encouraging a supportive classroom environment.
3. What should I do if my child is resistant to learning coping skills?
A. If your child is resistant, be patient and understanding. Start with activities they enjoy, make it a family effort, and emphasize that coping skills are tools everyone can benefit from. Be a role model and show how these skills can positively impact daily life.
Read more
- Knowles, Kelly A., and Bunmi O. Olatunji. “Specificity of trait anxiety in anxiety and depression: Meta-analysis of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.” Clinical psychology review 82 (2020): 101928. ↩︎
- Moreno, Carmen, et al. “How mental health care should change as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The lancet psychiatry 7.9 (2020): 813-824. ↩︎
- Thapar, Anita, et al. “Depression in young people.” The Lancet 400.10352 (2022): 617-631. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
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