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Simple Coping Skill Activities for Kids

Kids and teens have less control over their daily circumstances than adults and may find themselves in situations that feel overwhelming. Parents can help their children develop good coping strategies. A child who learns how to respond to stress and conflict will feel safe pursuing challenges knowing that he will be able to work through difficult situations.

  1. Facing Challenges Directly

    • Many children prefer to avoid sources of stress and conflict in their lives. They often deal with their feelings indirectly by retreating into escapist behavior patterns such as watching too much television and trying to avoid people they don't want to face. This can make kids feel better temporarily but does nothing to address the underlying issue. Encouraging kids to deal with challenges directly fosters self-respect.

    Talking through Generalizations

    • Kids and teens sometimes have a magnified view of a negative situation. They may interpret rejection from a single friend to mean that no one likes them. Doing poorly on one math test may prompt your child to say that she is not good at math. Discourage this by redirecting the conversation. Challenge her to explore if her generalization is true, or if she is overreacting to an isolated incident. The goal is to help your child keep a broad perspective on the situation and move beyond all-or- nothing thinking.

    Allow Negative Emotions

    • You don't want your child to fixate on negative experiences, but it is okay to be angry or upset. Sometimes parents attempt to soothe a child's feelings prematurely and inadvertently make him feel that his reaction was inappropriate. Processing pain is healthy, so encourage your child to express his emotions within reasonable boundaries. For example, a child should be discouraged from throwing tantrums in grocery stores, but should be allowed to go to his rooms and cry if necessary.

    Seeking Outside Help

    • Children need to know that it is valid and acceptable to ask for help if they reach a point where they can't handle a challenge alone. Of a child is being bullied and attempts to diffuse the situation fail, a parent may need to step in and put him in a different school. Chronic stress of this nature can be damaging to a child. If a child is overwhelmed by stress from a situation that can't be changed, such as a divorce, seek help from a professional counselor.

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