It will come as no surprise that stress is a part of your life – a part of all our lives. Our world has become increasingly more complex, more scheduled, and more demanding. Juggling the multiple, and often opposing, demands of parenting, work, and relationships can sometimes leave us feeling depleted and exhausted. Over the past year, worries over the economic downturn, job losses, healthcare, and home foreclosures have only added to the pressures that families face.

Although you may not be able to control these external factors, you do have the ability to control how you respond to them. You can develop ways to take care of yourself and your children during times of personal and professional stress. Finding ways to understand and change how you respond to stress will impact not just your own health, but also the health and well-being of those around you, including your children and the rest of your family.

Parenting and Stress

Parenting has been called “the toughest job a person will ever love” and there is good reason for that! A recent survey from the American Psychological Association found that almost 70 percent of mothers reported that family responsibilities are a significant source of stress. In addition, more than 20 percent of mothers said that they are poorly managing their stress.

Parenting is filled with moments of absolute, unparalleled joy, such as when you see your baby’s first smile or hear her ecstatic laughter fill up a room. It is also filled with countless demands. Have you watched time for yourself quickly disappear while you attend to your family’s needs? Time to sleep, eat, and relax are all impacted when you have young children. It may be even more intense if you are a parent to a child with special needs.

When feeling depleted, you may find it challenging to respond to your children with the patience and attention that you want to provide. Children can often sense when their parents are worried, irritated, or stressed. When they are young, they may often worry that their parents’ feelings are in response to something that they have done. Learning how to identify and respond to your stress in a healthy manner will benefit both you and your children. In addition, you will be modeling for them how to manage their own feelings and experiences in positive and appropriate ways!

The Impact of Stress

Stress can have a significant impact on both your physical and psychological health. Try to pay attention to the signals. Some of the more common signs of stress include:

• More frequent illness from a depressed immune system
• Feeling irritable, agitated, or impatient
• Feeling overwhelmed or overworked
• Feeling sad or depressed
• Having a lack of energy
• Poor sleep
• Nervousness or constant worry
• Racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating
• Physical symptoms including
• Headaches
• Upset stomach
• Weight gain or loss

Links & Resources »

References:

http://www.apa.org/releases/women-stress1008.html
The website of the American Psychological Association. “APA Poll Finds Women Bear Brunt of Nation’s Stress, Financial Downturn.”