A Parent's Guide to

Building Resilience in Children and Teens:
Giving Your Child Roots and Wings

When to Turn for Help

Even if you are great at dealing with problems, there may be times when stress feels like it is getting to you. You are not alone. This does not mean you are crazy and or a failure. Strong people turn to others for support when they have too much to handle. It’s OK to turn to wise friends for advice, but it is also important to turn to your parents or another adult to help you. You deserve to feel good.

The following signs suggest that you should seek some extra guidance:

• Your grades are dropping.
• You worry a lot.
• You easily get moody or angry.
• You feel tired all the time.
• You get a lot of headaches, dizziness, chest pain, or stomach pain.
• You feel sad or hopeless.
• You feel bored all the time and are less interested in being with friends.
• You are thinking about using alcohol or drugs to try to feel better.
• You ever think about hurting yourself.

Remember that one of the best ways to be happy and successful is to manage stress well. You can do it!

START HERE: Part 1: Tackling the problem

When to turn for help

Overview for managing stress

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Excerpted with permission from "A Parent’s Guide to Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Your Child Roots and Wings." Copyright © 2006 Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MS Ed, FAAP, and Martha M. Jablow. Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved.