Reducing Stress In Adolescents

Since the easy, carefree days of summer have come to an end, the feelings of being stressed or anxious about school is extremely common within adolescents. Many adults forget that stress doesn’t only happen to them, but can also have extreme effects on children too. From all of the homework that they are given at school, to next week’s test, and all of the after school activities that they have to go to, children are left feeling stressed and unsure of what they’re feeling, what to do with these feelings, and how to handle it all. At Camp Shohola, we have done quite a bit of research to help our amazing campers learn how to deal with these feelings. Our summer camp in Pennsylvania has come up with a few tips to help children deal with and hopefully reduce the stress that they may be feeling during the school year.

• First off, let your child know that what he or she has been feeling is completely normal. Remind them that everyone feels stressed at some point or another and that there are ways to deal with it.
• Staying active is a great way for adolescents to relax and reduce their stress. However, filling their schedule with after school activities, sports practices, play practices, and music lessons is not the best way to keep children moving. Children often feel stressed when they are pressured or feel forced to do something. Instead, allow them some time for free play. Look through our summer camp activities and try out some of those as examples. Allow them to choose what they want to do and to just have some fun playing.
• Besides keeping children active, getting enough sleep every night is just as important! Make sure that your son or daughter isn’t staying up too late on school days. Sleeping is an easy and natural way to relieve stress; so when they get a good night sleep, the better they will feel the next day.
• Another way to reduce stress is to reduce screen time. On average, children will spend around seven hours a day using some kind of electronic or entertainment device?! Instead of them spending their time doing that, send your son or daughter outside to reconnect with nature and to get away from video games, social media, and the newest phone app that they downloaded. Spending time outdoors is an easy stress reliever that works miracles.

And lets not forget about reducing stress next summer! The easiest way to do that is by sending them to the best summer camp in Pennsylvania, Camp Shohola! Call us at (570)-371-4760 for more information or to schedule a tour today!