Being a parent is busy and demanding and it is normal for parents to feel stress at times. When you feel stressed, you are less likely to be calm and consistent with your children and more likely to feel irritable and impatient. Little things that your children do might make you feel angry when normally these things don’t bother you very much at all. As a parent, stress can make you feel tired and generally worn out making it really hard to provide your children with positive praise and reward for their good behavior.

The following suggestions will help you learn to manage day-to-day stress so that you can act calmly and consistently with your children.

How to Reduce Stress

You may be trying to do too much – you may need to make some changes to your lifestyle. Some suggestions are:

• Decrease your workload
• Say no if people ask you to do too much
• Get support from family and friends
• Seek help if your child’s behaviour concerns you
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise (at least 20 min. 3 times a week)
• Try to do one thing each day that you enjoy by yourself
• Deal with your stress when it starts - notice when your muscles get tight and tense. You will find it easier to deal with stress when it first starts.
• Learn to relax – there are many different ways to relax your mind and body, you have to find what works for you. Here are some suggestions:

  • Taking slow deep breaths; Muscle Relaxation – tighten then relax each part of your body while keeping the rest of your body relaxed; Imagination – think of happy memories or an exciting event coming up.Once you find a technique that works for you, practise it every day for at least 2 weeks, and any time you start to feel stressed.
  • Develop some coping statements. In stressful situations you may find yourself saying negative things over and over in your mind. You may find it easier to cope with stressful situations by thinking of helpful things to say, such as:
  • I can do this
  • Stay calm
  • I’ve got through this before
  • Just relax

When to seek help

Seek help if you or your partner often feel very stressed, find it difficult to stay calm or have trouble coping. Professionals who have skills in stress management can help you reduce any unnecessary stress in your life and develop some coping skills for everyday stress.

Source: Triple P Positive Parenting Program