Parenting

Our Kids Know That We are Stressed

By Katherine Lee, About.com GuideNovember 12, 2010

Follow me on:

We are stressed out, and our kids know it, says a new survey conducted by the American Psychological Association. The online survey, which evaluated 1,134 adults, including 100 parents with kids between the ages of 8 to 17, found that as many as 51 percent of people reported living with "moderate" stress.

The survey also found that parents are significantly underestimating the impact of their stress on their children. While 69 percent of parents said that they believed their stress had little or no impact on their kids, only 14 percent of kids said that this was the case.

Other highlights of the survey:

34 percent of kids say they know their parent is worried or stressed when they yell.

Other signs of parental stress reported by kids include arguing with other people in the house; complaining or telling children about their problems and being too busy or not having enough time to spend with them.

Children who say their parent is stressed are more likely to report being stressed themselves.

One-third of children age 8 to 17 believe their parent has been always or often worried or stressed out about things during the past month.

As we head into the holiday season, think about some ways you can reduce your stress. Many hallmarks of holidays such as spending extra money, lack of time, and hectic schedules can all be major stressors in people's lives. Do what you can now to avoid stress in the coming months to make sure you and your kids are happy, healthy, and less stressed.

Related Articles:

How to Reduce Your Holiday Stress

Holiday Stress and Anxiety in Children

How to Spot Anxiety and Stress in Children

Follow me on Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook. Subscribe to my newsletter.