Kidstress: What It Is, How It Feels, How to Help - Softcover

Witkin, Dr. Georgia

3.69

16 ratings by Goodreads

9780140281927: Kidstress: What It Is, How It Feels, How to Help

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140281924 ISBN 13: 9780140281927

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2000

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A media personality and bestselling author of two books on adult stress offers a refreshing, prescriptive approach to helping kids manage the increasing stress in their own lives.

Children today experience more stress and more feelings of vulnerability and anxiety than ever before. But most parents are in the dark about what causes stress in their kids--and even fewer know how to help. Now, Dr. Georgia Witkin, author of The Female Stress Syndrome and The Male Stress Syndrome, offers much needed assistance for anyone coping with the increasing problem of "kidstress." Having asked 800 boys and girls to name the biggest stressors in their lives, Dr. Witkin reveals their often surprising answers. She addresses the symptoms of stress and shows how to tell if a child is "overloaded." And she lays out effective strategies for helping kids help themselves. A much needed resource for anyone battling the symptoms of kidstress, here are the most effective strategies parents can teach their kids for managing the pressures of school, family, peers, the world--everything.

"Witkin offers a fresh viewpoint and sensible, reassuring advice that will be welcome to parents and teachers anxiously picking their way through the minefield of 'kidstress.'"-- Publishers Weekly

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Review:

Relax--it's not your fault! Dr. Georgia Witkin will help you realize that not all your child's stresses come from home. More to the point, parents can help their kids deal with stress effectively. The initial step is to identify the symptoms. Here the author includes descriptions of symptoms in children's own words; you'll be amazed at just how accurately little ones can describe those feelings we all get during difficult times, from "I get a tight knot in my stomach" to "I start to drum my fingers." Several chapters focus on the sources of stress: family, friendships, school, and a few biggies like death and war. Techniques to deal with stress are presented in simple bullet-point lists, addressing behavioral changes for a variety of troublesome situations. Some techniques, it should be noted, are more helpful than others ("never criticize when angry, only when calm" sounds easy, but try it on the way to the airport with two cranky adolescents at holiday time and you'll see why some suggestions are easier made than put into practice). Most useful are the insights into a child's outward signs of stress, and how to balance parental sympathy with a refusal to be manipulated. Often, open conversation and thorough preparation provide the solutions, just as they do for us stressed-out adults. A practical guide to dealing with life's everyday worries, KidStress can help parents and kids survive stress-filled days peacefully. --Jill Lightner

About the Author:

Georgia Witkin, Ph.D., is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and director of the Stress Program at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Her articles have appeared in Parade, Reader's Digest, Time, Family Circle, and many other magazines. She is the host of "Beyond the News," the popular Fox News channel weekend program. She maintains a private therapy practice in New York City, where she lives.

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