Family Stress Management...the Natural Option

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All families are subjected to stress, handling work home, and school schedules exacts a toll on our relationships with our spouses, children, and friends. Most parents either fantasize about a long luxurious bath or a fun afternoon in the park without the kids however, the truth is "time to relax" often ends up on the bottom of the "to do" list. Finding simple. natural ways to integrate family stress management should be as easy 1...2...3... breathe.

Reiki: As parents we often feel exhausted by the needs of our children, spouse, and work. What if there was a easy to invigorate the body, mind, and spirit while also enhancing our ability to parent? Reiki, a gentle hands-on healing therapy, promotes relaxation, eases pain and reduces anxiety and stress. Practitioners of Reiki offer a natural hands on healing therapy that can be offered at bedtime, homework, or just sitting on the couch, is ideal for parents looking for a natural way to soothe their children as well as a tool for family stress management leading to a peaceful, calmer, more balanced family life.

Doing a helpful deed together: Working on a project as a family, especially one that helps others, encourages family members to work together as a unit. When everyone is focused to collecting food for the hungry, donating used toys, or creating a "Nice Gestures Jar" to support your children doing nice things for each family member leads to empathy, kindness, and teamwork, empowering the family to be able to face challenges, work together as a team and provide opportunities for open communication and problem solving as a family.

Guided imagery: Progressive muscle relaxation or breathing exercises are easily incorporated into any busy schedule. Using games to teach children how to tense and relax muscles or party blowers for learning proper breathing techniques are strategies that are both fun and engaging. At bedtime ask kids to imagine a special place, using all five senses have your child describe in as much detail as possible by adding this activity to your bedtime routine may lead to increased relaxation for both parent and child thus better family stress management.

Creating a supportive natural environment that strives to decrease stress for the family does not have to be scheduled or planned but can be easily integrated into daily activities. Using simple natural techniques like Reiki, guided imagery or just working together on a project, being nice to one another or those in need, creates an environment where children feel supported, parents feel less anxious about parenting leading to better family stress management.

About the Author:
Genevieve M. Lowry M.Ed, CCLS has been helping children and families for twenty years. As a certified child life specialist at The Children's Hospital of NY, she worked on a general medical floor providing therapeutic activities for children facing chronic or life threatening illness. Through play and preparation she encouraged self-esteem, mastery and control over their illness, as well as promoted choice in an environment that offers little or none. She also helped children and families cope with the rigors of a cancer diagnosis in an outpatient oncology clinic.

http://guidedimageryforchildren.com



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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