<p>I don’t know the answer myself. I think my daughter (who is now in college) would use running and being with friends as her de-stressor, but I never asked her. For a while, she did yoga, but then with junior year and the whole track/XC schedule, she stopped.</p>
<p>With my son, who’s a HS junior, I think he chills with his laptop and hangs out with friends on FB. I have never asked him directly about stress either. I don’t know how to bring it up.</p>
<p>I read that some colleges bring in dogs for students to pet during stressful times, like finals. Where are the stress-puppies for our over burdened high school students?</p>
<p>I’d appreciate hearing people’s info on what their child does to reduce the stress to achieve, perform, excel.</p>
<p>For S1 (our most high strung) it’s guitar, guitar, and more guitar.
Thankfully, the other kids are much more easy going, and aren’t much bothered by the noise.</p>
<p>Both older boys go skiing (in the winter), S1 will go fishing or hiking or go swim since he likes to destress in solitude. Sometimes he’ll just destress to the history channel. S2 will go bike riding, or hiking or to the gym or in the summer go to the lake swimming with non-stressed out friends because he likes to destress by doing something with friends. Both will occasionally go buy food and cook if they can’t do any of the above. Every once in awhile they will call and de-stress to me. </p>
<p>My high schooler goes to the fitness favility for pick-up basketball or to lift weights or to hot tub or sauna. The gym is his ‘refuge’ when he gets stressed out.</p>
<p>CSIHSIS: wow – what a lovely piece of music that is – thank you for linking that to this thread. I personally have found rainfall music and the sound of thunderstorms sort of cathartic and de-stressing after an awful day at work, but I don’t know how to insert it in this thread.</p>
<p>Please – eager to hear more. I know growing up my parents didn’t acknowledge stress, as if that would make it go away.</p>
<p>My 19 year old does arts and crafts. When she’s upset or sad she goes to Michael’s and spends a bunch of money, then comes home and makes something to hang on her wall or to give to a friend.</p>
<p>My D who is 15 de-stresses by chilling in the bathroom with the shower running (not in it). Seriously, the sound if the water relaxes her! She brings her laptop or a book in with her and comes out a new woman!</p>
<p>D when in high school went to Barnes and Noble, bought a coffee, studied. Funny, H does the same thing but buys a book and a coffee and a pastry.</p>
<p>My S when he was a teen would ride his bike or go skateboarding with his friends. Of course, video games. Now 28, he still plays video games but has also taught himself guitar and destresses by playing. My older D was on the swim team and still loves to swim so she’ll go to one of the local pools to destress. She’s always liked to read, and has some shows she watches on Hulu.</p>
<p>My youngest dances-anywhere, anytime, any type. She just finished an hour of dancing to one of those Wii games-from salsa to hip hop-she’s in heaven. She’s too cool for the Disney channel until she wants to chill-then she’ll put on the shows she grew up with.</p>
<p>Computer and video games mostly. DS2 spent most of his vacation reading an entire series of fantasy books (it’s up to 12 now.) In high school he did a lot of origami as well.</p>
<p>Something I recently picked up on — reverting back to childhood. I am buying children’s books in different languages (not English because I’m a native speaker) and whenever I am stressed, I just stop and read it until I feel better. For now I have Spanish and I just bought German. Sometimes the most simplistic things are the best (the Spanish book is just about different sounds animals make). </p>
<p>Besides that, I just sleep. Shopping used to destress me until I stopped working to focus completely on school, so no $$&.</p>