We all know that children of smokers are susceptible to suffering from the effects of secondhand smoke. But what about secondhand stress? Is "secondhand stress" just as bad or worse for children of stressed out parents? Many parents today are overwhelmed - job stress, financial stress, relational stress. The question is, do parents transfer this stress to their kids and spouse? If so, what are the typical consequences?
In an article from the Huffington Post, Jordan Friedman, MPH, stress management speaker, author and founder of thestresscoach.com, stated, “Secondhand stress' is a stress response that is triggered by someone else's behavior.”
"Stress fuels forgetfulness," noted Friedman, and parents "fly out of the house without remembering to ask [their spouse] to pick up the kids at 5 p.m." The time comes and goes, and the kids are left stranded in the rain with no way home. "So, your secondhand stress early in the morning winds up soaking your kids, stressing your spouse who can't find them, and giving you even more stress because you let your angry family down," he said.
When parents seem too busy, secondhand stress also stops their kids from saying what's on their minds because they feel their problems pale in comparison. (see entire article, click here).