Parents aren't very good at hiding their stress and worry from their children, according to a new survey released by the American Psychological Association.
The Harris Interactive online poll of 1,136 youngsters ages 8 to 17 years old found that 91 percent said there are a number of ways they know when their parents are stressed, USA Today reported. Those signs include parents yelling (34 percent), parents arguing with other people in the home (30 percent), and parents being too busy or don't have time to spend with children (18 percent). The survey also found that 32 percent of young people believe that their parent has been "really worried or stressed out about things" in the past month, while only 6 percent said their parent is never stressed, USA Today reported. Parents try to protect their children from stress, but these findings show "that children are able to see through that," said APA CEO Norman Anderson. "It's actually better to talk with your kids about the fact that the parent is having challenges," he said. "The key message is 'We're going to address these difficulties and we'll be OK. We'll get through this.' "
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