WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, SportsLatest: Study shows 30% of kids are worried about money

Latest: Study shows 30% of kids are worried about money

by Meg Bonacorsi

WAUSAU (WAOW) -- A new study shows that your child may face stress each day at school and at home.

The American Psychological Association surveyed kids between the ages of 8 and 17.

And the results may surprise you.

One woman in Wausau says, "I think being a child is more stressful than we think with the pressures, the social pressures."

Another sites he opinion on the top stressers, "The environment and other kids around them."

And this man says, "Probably peer pressure and maybe what older people, adults think about them."

Although their future, what they look like, and getting along with friends did make the top five, a recent study shows that most kids stress out about doing well in school, and worrying if their family has enough money comes in second.

Tracy Peterson with Associated Counseling Services says, "They take a lot of cues from their parents. So if their parents are stressed out about money, kids are going to feel that. And it will carry over to school and relationships that they have too."

In fact, the study shows that 30 percent of kids worry about their families' financial situation. So how can you prevent your child from becoming stressed?

Peterson says, "The biggest thing parents need to do is be honest, not try to hide things or sugarcoat it for their kids but also tell the kids that it's going to be okay, that they're going to be taken care of."

Experts also recommend keeping a stable and structured routine in your household, but they also say it's important for everyone to have fun too.

Peterson says, "Like playing games, going for walks, going to the park, going sledding this winter. Things like that don't cost any money and they're really good for the health of the entire family."

To find out if your child may be stressed out, Peterson says things to look for include trouble sleeping, a change in appetite, or if they start offering to pay for things.

Online Reporter: Meg Bonacorsi