In today’s exceedingly trying economic times, just about everyone is worried and stressed. In fact, it’s safe to say that stress and worry are hazards most adults face on a daily basis these days. And, of course, if you add the normal stress of parenting to the mix, fears and worries can grow exponentially.

Although most parents try to shield their children from this type of negativity, the reality is that increased tension in parents usually leads to increased tension in the household – both of which most children feel whether you want them to or not. In other words, despite your best efforts, it is very likely that your children are very much aware of everything you’re trying to keep from them.

Why? Because children are keenly attuned to their parents’ emotional states and tension in the household. It is how most children are wired. Therefore, your attempt to keep them “out of the loop” may actually have unintended consequences – namely, worrying silently about you and what is going to happen to their family as a result of the increased tension they sense in the household.

What are some signs that this might be happening to your child? An important signal is a change in your child’s behavior. Is your child eating more or less than normal? Is she sleeping more or less than normal? Does he seem more withdrawn? Is she having increased nightmares? Is he avoiding situations or people in ways that aren’t typical of his personality? Are her grades dropping? Is he suddenly engaging in nervous habits, such as nail biting? All of these can be signals that your child is overly stressed.

If these changes in behavior are severe or are significantly disruptive to your child’s life, then certainly professional consultation or intervention are important options to consider. However, for most children, open communication with their parents about what is happening and why there is increased tension in the house will go a long way in reducing their stress. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should overburden your child with your problems, but for most families, family problems and difficult topics can be effectively dealt with by having healthy family discussions.

Here are some tips for making sure your child isn’t overly stressed about these challenging economic times:

1) Hold family meetings as often as necessary to have open discussions about the changes brought about by the current situation and how these changes impact you as a family and the child as an individual. However, in having these meetings and conversations, it is very important to consider your child’s age when deciding how much to share.

The younger the child, the fewer details you should share. This is not only because a younger child is less likely to understand the details, but also because younger children usually don’t have the ability to rationally weigh the options. This may result in a younger child catastrophizing the situation or seeing it as worse than it actually is.

Older children, especially those learning about economics in school and those who watch the news, may actually feel more reassured by a family discussion about how these difficult times are specifically impacting their own family and ways they can help.

2) Encourage children to share their feelings openly in these family meetings and don't allow other family members to criticize or ridicule anyone else's feelings. By having children share their worries, you’ll be in a better position to gauge how stressed they are and clear up any misunderstandings they may have.

3) Use this as a learning opportunity to teach your child about budgeting and saving for the future. In fact, this would be a good time to take your child to the bank to set up a savings account for depositing spare change or a percentage of any cash gifts received for holidays or birthdays. Most banks offer free child savings accounts.

4) In tough times such as these, sacrifices need to be made by everyone in the family. Identify the sacrifices that each family member is going to be expected to make until the crisis is over. You also may want to include your children in cost-saving activities around the home. For example, whenever possible, include the children in making healthy meals at home and saving left-overs for another meal rather than going out to restaurants. In addition, remind them to conserve by turning off lights when not in use and reducing water usage.

5) Even if it's in short bursts, schedule family time to do fun things that don't cost a lot of money. Play a board game or computer/video games as a family. Go for a walk or ride bikes as a family. These kinds of activity not only increase parent/child contact, they also serve as healthy distractions from the overwhelming negativity that often is found on television these days, particularly the news.

6) When you schedule family time, do your best to not allow work or worrying about [you fill in the blank] to interfere in that time.

7) Don't underestimate the amount of stress children experience when you are stressed. Assure them that although the family has to make some changes, everyone is going to be okay in the long run.

8) As a parent, model healthy, cost-effective, stress-relieving behaviors. One idea is to throw a potluck dinner. Not only will it save you money on food by having everyone bring a dish, but it also gives your family an opportunity to connect with other families. Another idea is to watch a comedy at home as a family instead of going to the theater. If you have a family of readers, go to the library and check out books together. Another idea is to use free public facilities, such as parks and beaches, to get away from stress without spending a lot of money.