Kids Are More Stressed Out Than Grown-Ups Think, Survey Finds
When it comes to kids and stress, grown-ups can be pretty clueless.
A newly released report says kids are more stressed out these days than their parents think.
The report also says parents often don't realize the real causes of kids' stress.
The American Psychological Association released the report this week.
It conducted a random phone survey of 1,200 kids aged 8-17 across the country.
Here's what the survey revealed:
- 44% of all young people say they feel stress about doing well in school.
- 30% worry about whether their family has enough money.
- 8% say their relationship with their parents is a source of stress.
The survey also reported that 36% of all US kids worry more this year than they did last year.
In addition, it found that parents often underestimate how much stress their kids feel.
And it found that parents often misidentify the things that stress kids out.
For example, parents didn't realize that a lot kids are stressed out about the economy - especially kids whose parents have been out of work.
In California, 11-year-old Jonathan Hirsch's father was laid off two years ago, according to USA TODAY.
Jonathan's father eventually found a new job.
But Jonathan is apparently still feeling the effects of that experience.
"I worry every day on little things," he told USA TODAY reporter Sharon Jayson. "This year, I have a lot more worries than last year. The holiday season is coming up. And I'm wondering if I'm going to get any presents at all."
Even kids who don't report feeling stress about their own lives say they're stressed about "the problems of the world," as 11-year-old Gabby Cano of Alexandria, Virginia, told USA TODAY.
"You kind of want to help," she said. "But it's not easy to know what to do."
What can you do if you feel stressed out?
Experts say exercise is a great way to relieve stress.
Try shooting some hoops or just running around outside.
Build a little time into your day for having fun and goofing around.
"Like playing games, going for walks, going to the park, going sledding this winter," said Tracy Peterson, a therapist at Associated Counseling Services in Wausau, Wisconsin, in an interview with WAOW-TV. "Those types of things don't cost any money and are really good for the health of the entire family."
And sometimes, just talking about what's stressing you out can make you feel better.
By talking it out, maybe you can come up with solutions to the things that are causing the stress.
And it's important to have a positive attitude - to realize that even if you feel stressed out right now, you still have the power to make positive changes.
"Parents need to be honest, you know, not try to hide things or sugarcoat it for their kids," Peterson told WAOW reporter Meg Bonacorsi. "But also, tell the kids that it's going to be okay."
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