Family Stress Resources
Kids helping move bales on the Chilson Ranch in Roosevelt County.
Raising a family can be one of life’s most rewarding and fulfilling experiences. It can also be a source of strain and stress. Raising children, juggling finances, managing caregiving for a sick or elderly relative, and relationship communication issues are obstacles that all families experience; however, the good news is that the stress caused by these things can be managed and improved by implementing healthy behaviors. Here is an article from the MSU Extension Lives and Landscapes magazine on managing work/life balance.
Domestic Abuse Communication Raising Children Caregiving and Grief
Domestic Abuse
There is a big difference between normal family conflict and domestic abuse or even more specifically, elder abuse. Please read below if you or someone you know needs help. To learn more about what constitutes domestic abuse, view this description by The Center for Family Justice: What is domestic violence?
Montana Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence Victim Services
Domestic Abuse Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
Smartphone Apps to Help Victims of Abuse (find on the App Store or Google Play)
One Love
Sojourner Peace
Aspire News
Report Dependent or Elder Abuse 1-844-277-9300
Communication
Healthy family relationships are built on strong communication. Publications outlining how communication works and doesn’t work, the value of understanding your own emotions, how to manage your anger, and how to recognizeing when a professional may be able to help, are all outlined in the resources below.
Managing Anger for Better Health and Relationships
Parenting Tools for Your Child's Success
Interview with Dr. Rebecca Koltz
Taking the time to check in with the ones that you love can mean the world. Dr. Koltz describes the ways to do that with family and spouses.
Raising Children
Whether you are a parent, a step-parent, or a grandparent, raising children can be
challenging. However, understanding developmentally appropriate discipline and behavior
management strategies, learning how to respond to the needs of children, and dealing
with problems that arise in school or caregiving settings can help reduce the stress
of both caregiver and child. Please click on the links below to learn more about these
topics.
Bullying Behavior Across Childhood
Caregiving: When Our Parents Need Our Help
Discipline: A Parent's Guide for Infants and Toddlers
Discipline: A Parent's Guide for Preschoolers
Discipline: A Parent's Guide for School-Age Children
Helping Children Cope With Natural Disasters
Interview with Dr. Katey Franklin on Family Stress
Taking care of kids and learning to grow with them can be stressful. Dr. Franklin chats about talking with your kids and listening to their needs.
Caregiving and Grief
Many adult children of aging parents or relatives do not see themselves as caregivers,
and many aging adults do not see themselves as needing help. Therefore, this transition
of caring for aging parents can be difficult. Click on the links below to access resources
on managing emotions, meeting and arranging care with family members, and to learn
about outline some options for care for elderly or sick family members.
Caregiving: When Our Parents Need Our Help
Understanding Grief and Loss Following Death
Montana Lifespan Respite Coalition
Caregivers deserve a break, the Montana Lifespan Respite Voucher program provides caregiving vouchers to qualified caregivers.