helping kids handle pressure

in this article:

• what kind of pressure do kids face?
• how can I help my child handle pressure? 
• free download: make a pressure coping plan together!
• more resources from On Our Sleeves

Giving a speech to a room full of people. Standing on the free throw line needing to make both shots for your team to win the game. Preparing for a final exam that could make or break your grade.

So much pressure!

Kids, like all of us, experience moments in which they feel under pressure. Pressure doesn’t only come from sports or competition. It can come from anything kids want to do really well, like school.

Pressure comes when something important is a stake. Without the skills to manage pressure, it can get in the way and cause the performance or outcome to not go well.

Here are a few things you can do to help children deal with pressure.

three tips for helping kids deal with pressure

1. Start conversations. Take some time to learn how your child is feeling. Discuss how they typically respond when under pressure and how feeling under pressure impacts them. For example, does it cause their heart to beat quicker? Does it make them talk faster?

2. Help them examine their thoughts. Challenging situations can cause negative thoughts. These negative thoughts can lead a child to develop a pattern of believing those negative statements are true, which can affect their performance. Teach the child to check in with their thoughts and question whether they’re true. Then, see if they can come up with a more helpful message to tell themselves. “Thought challenging” helps them realize they can change those negative words that get in their head.

3. Create a 'calming toolbox'. Share coping methods with your child to use to calm their bodies and minds when feeling under pressure. Teach strategies like breathing techniques, mindfulness, self-guided imagery or meditation. These tools help their bodies relax and bring them into the moment, helping them focus and do their best in high-pressure situations.

Helpful Hint: Want to learn more about simple tools to help your child build coping skills? Download our free mindfulness worksheet (also available in Spanish) to practice together

free download to help kids handle pressure

Help your child handle pressure with confidence! Use this Pressure Coping Plan worksheet as a family. It guides conversations about your child’s needs and provides a clear chart for handling different stressful situations.

Click the orange button to download your worksheet now. Also available en Español!Download the Worksheet Here

more resources from On Our Sleeves

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