Show affection!
Let your children know you love them, and hug them often.
Build your children’s self-esteem
Listen to their needs and help them develop their own problem-solving skills. Encourage their interests and abilities. Treat them as individuals with their own special qualities.
Give your children some of your undivided attention every day
Give them a chance to talk about both the happy and the stressful events in their lives. Some everyday concerns which may cause stress for children are school pressures, feeling alienated, and demands that they succeed at everything — sports, school, music, dancing or other ?lessons.? Show your children you understand their concerns and take them seriously.
Have weekly family meetings to discuss family activities, routines and problems
Give everyone a chance to speak and don’t allow angry or negative feedback. Work at problem solving rather than confrontation.
Talk about any changes or problems that are affecting your children, such as moving, illness, divorce, unemployment or a drug or alcohol problem with a family member
Explain how you feel about the situation, and find out how they feel, too. Try to find constructive ways together to deal with changes or problems. Seek counseling if there are serious situations.
Use humor or empathy, not orders, anger or sarcasm, when asking your children to do something for you
Examine situations which cause your family members stress and try to change or avoid these situations
For instance, if your morning routine is stressful, start your days in a less rushed way. Have everyone get up 15 minutes earlier, and ask everyone to pitch in and have lunches made and clothes laid out the night before.
Provide a feeling of security for your children by establishing some daily routines
For example, a relaxing evening meal together or a night time story.
Exercise regularly or participate in sports
Find activities that can be done as a family. Make sure that the activity is of real interest to your children and not your own interests instead.
Don’t forget that your children have problems, too
They need the same kind of love, patience and understanding that you do. Remember that what appears to be a small problem to you may be a very important problem to them.
—Source: February 2002 PRincipal Communicator, published by the National School Public Relations Association, 15948 Derwood Road, Rockville, MD 20855: (301) 519-0496
