Stress Busters
Children's Ministry Magazine
Use these ideas to help kids who are struggling through
stressful times.
Kids are under a lot of stress -- at school, in extracurricular
activities, and at home. A study by the American Academy of
Pediatrics showed that 19 percent of kids' trips to the doctor were
related to stress in their social environment -- tripling the
percentage of these problems from two decades ago. Help kids in
your ministry cope with stress using these tips.
- Build relationships. Kids who can talk to
someone about what's going on in their lives are less likely to
experience high stress levels. Be available to kids. Ask questions
about what's happening in their day-to-day lives. Help them form
friendships through small groups so they know they have a peer
group to depend on.
- Model stress management. Be prepared for class
and avoid cramming too much activity into a limited amount of time.
Talk to kids about what stresses them out and remind them that they
can pray about stressful situations and ask God for help and
comfort.
- Have fun. Some kids don't have outlets to let
loose and have fun. Provide activities that let kids be kids --
learning about Jesus is fun!
