I’m sharing the best way to reducing stress senior year. I shared it with my VIP email list last week and the positive responses are overwhelming, so I’m posting it here as well. The other day I was speaking with a senior’s mom about how amped up this time of year is for her daughter and the toll it’s taking on both of them. I shared with her the ONE THING that has helped my kids the most and she was so thankful for the suggestion.

Why now more than ever

This time of year marks the end to activities and sports that some have been doing almost their whole life with a group of friends and families that have become family. They’re facing the fact that life is moving into a place of a lot of unknowns. And then there’s the end of senior school activities which is a whole other level of stress, prom, prom houses, graduation, graduation parties…that’s  A LOT of emotions.

Then add into the mix everything that has been and is going on in the world. It’s taking a toll on everyone.

What I’ve noticed

I’ve been photographing teens for going on 9 years now and have seen a big shift as the years go by. A lot of teens look tired and honestly seem overwhelmed at times.

The single best thing I’ve done for my kids is to open them up to ways of calming their minds regularly. 

How it started

When they were very young and upset, to calm them down we’d breathe deeply and do 3 Ohmmms. I started doing it because it felt good and diverted their attention. It always worked. What I’ve since learned is that it’s scientifically proven that humming (doing Ohmmms) sends vibrations through the body soothing the nervous system.

Older kids, bigger stresses

As they get older I don’t need to tell you, life becomes more stressful. I realized that as they went through high school and into college they needed to figure out how to manage their emotions without me always being there for them. I suggested they meditate. There was a whole lot of skepticism and I know in their heads thinking, that’s mom, she’s out there. It didn’t happen over night, but guess what, I now have one who relies more on humming and breathing, the other regularly meditates, every day. He has also said it was the best thing I ever did for him.

How it started

I meditate too, because let’s admit it, we’re also living in this crazy world and navigating it for our kids as well. It took a long time to do this regularly for me. I finally printed out a calendar, first thing in the morning listen to a 10 minute meditation and then checked it off before getting out of bed in the morning until it became a habit. The consistency has made all of the difference in the world. It’s calming, it grounds me and it keeps me in the now (for the most part:D!). 

Here are the apps we use in my family:
Insight Timer
Headspace
Calm 

Bonus

Ok, I have one more thing that I have on repeat with my kids. Especially when I’ve gotten those meltdown phone calls during exam times. Get outside and take a walk. Tear yourself away from whatever that stressful environment is, get outside and move. 

They’re becoming adults and if we can add to ways of helping them deal with all of their emotions and stress, which believe me, they’ll continue having through college, then why not give it a try.

P.S. I’m continuing to receive emails of parents who have begun or are now ready to begin embracing this. The feedback is incredibly positive.

Leave a comment below if you think this is the best way to reducing stress senior year.