DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter is a junior in high school. Her school is very competitive and time-consuming, but is one of the best public high schools in the country. She gets home and does her work, but with her extracurriculars and other commitments, she barely has any free time. She is constantly stressed out about her homework, tests and quizzes, essays or projects, and she sleeps only about four to five hours a night. In addition to all the work from school that she has, she is worried about college and the SAT. I have tried to talk to her about stress management and that everything will be OK in the end, but she barely has time to talk to me, and doesn't listen. Is there any way I can make my daughter less stressed or try to help to her with her work? -- On Her Last Study Session, New Haven, Connecticut
DEAR ON HER LAST STUDY SESSION: Rather than talking about stress, which can easily lead to more stress, carve out small bits of time to do something fun, like go for a walk, go to the beach or take in a movie.
Yes, your daughter's schedule is tight, but adding exercise and fun to it here and there will help to keep her spirits up, her blood pressure low and her love of life higher.