Study: Parents, Kids Most Stressed Out

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Struggling to stay sane this summer vacation?

A recent Carnegie Mellon University study has found women and young people have higher stress levels in general compared to others. That's not a great combination, considering the two are often cooped up together. So how can you lower your stress while school is out?

"Sometimes I'm about to explode, being out in this 100 degree weather," said Patrice Brewer, a Carrollton mother of three. "Our first activity isn't 'till 4:30pm,  so we're hanging out. That in itself is very chaotic, because we're not on a schedule. So they're just everywhere doing everything."

Author and life coach Ashley Berges says the key to a successful summer is structure.

"You should have a regime in the summertime too," said Berges. "You don't have the ability to stop time, to harness time, but you can make it work for you."

She suggests parents create a schedule together and give the kids input. Then post it on a dry erase board for everyone to see. With everyone on the same page, every at-home mom or dad must then schedule time for herself.

"No one's going to give you a medal for being home with your kids 24/7, seven days a week. But you have to follow rules: One, don't clean the house. Two, don't do things for your kids in that personal time. Do something for yourself."

Berges says scheduling a half hour a day to work out, read a book, sit by the pool or even learn a new language or musical instrument will bring balance and happiness to your home.