Replace Stress with Hope

Richard Carlson, probably best known as the author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, writes about the importance of hope as an antidote to stress. In his book, Life Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard, he explains: “Hope keeps the human spirit alive. It gives us reason to go on even when times are tough…A friend of mine shared with me a quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who worked all his life to change the system of apartheid in South Africa. It has become one of my favorites and I keep a copy of it in several locations – in my home, my office and in my car. I read it almost every day.” NOTE: See the Desmond Tutu quote above.

Another perspective on coping with stress comes from Alan Cohen in the book Child Development, where he writes about surviving challenging times. “Humans from birth are born copers,” he asserts. “Young children usually remain in remarkably good spirits in tough times…However, just because some of them don’t show signs of anxiety, it doesn’t mean all is well and we can ignore the problem.” Cohen describes a method called Integrative Coping Model that describes at least six different techniques for helping children cope in difficult times (which may mean stress for the individual child, such as dealing with illness, or stress for the whole community, such as coping with a natural disaster). Here’s an example of one technique: “Imagination: [Encourage children to use] creative thinking, relaxation, guided imagery. Transform a threatening situation into an adventure. [Encourage children to find] humor – what is the funny side of all this?”

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.

© 2005 Child Care Information Exchange - All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Return to Site