Now that politics are heating up and the election is taking center stage in the media, I'm noticing two different kinds of thinking in the people around me: people who are actively interested in what's happening, and people who throw up their hands and figure that it doesn't matter what they think because they have no control over things anyway.

These two approaches to politics also apply to other areas of life, and are sometimes applied unrealistically. Sometimes people feel that they should control things over which they have no power (and then berate themselves for not keeping enough of a handle on things), and other times they decide that they have no control over major events in their lives, and give up trying to make an impact. (There are other ways the control/helplessness issue plays out, but these are two modes of thinking that are both stress-inducing and far too prevalent.)

Psychologists call this perspective locus of control, and note that it affects many areas of one's life. Learn more about your locus of control, and see what you can do to change your locus of control (if need be), so you see things in a way that empowers you and keeps stress at bay.

Now that we're into September, many families are getting into the new school year. With the excitement of new school clothes, new classes with friends, and more incidences of recess (for kids) and perhaps a little less craziness at home (for parents), there are also some stressful trade-offs. There are the nights filled with homework that tests the knowledge even of parents, the mornings when 8 things need doing at once and the kids are already late, or the anxious kid who isn't sure they're loving school so much after the novelty of the first week has worn off. (Homeschoolers get a pass on some of this, but have their own stresses to face, including what curriculum to use--or not use, how to organize the schedule, and how to carve out time for oneself.) How to cope?

Fear not, brave reader. Here are some stress relief resources for parents and children to use now that September is upon us and it all starts anew!

Back To School Stress Relief

Causes of School Anxiety

Stress Relief for Students

Deep Breathing Exercises for Parents and Kids

For Homeschoolers: Starting The Year Off Right

Save Time During Your Morning Routine

As you may know from my resources on maintaining a sense of humor, I love to laugh. Finding the absurd in everyday life is a great stress relief for me, and I recommend it to everyone who could use a little levity in their life. I also love sharing a good joke, as do many people who forward emails to me.

I like emails that contain genuinely funny jokes or profound sayings. The very best of them make my day.

I don't mind the hoax-busting emails. If there really is a virus to be avoided or an injustice in the world to be circumvented, I love to know about it. And if there isn't one, I love being the one who's savvy enough to check Snopes or About.com's Urban Legends site and share the results with the group.

I also love those 'amazing photos' emails, that show pictures of a tiny foot pressing out from the inside of a pregnant belly, or a pile of cats snuggling together. Call me a sucker for cheese, but I've been known to get a little verklempt with some of the more touching emails in that category.

However, lately I've encountered a few people who don't understand the art of forwarding appropriate materiel over email. (And I have a hunch that you have, too.) Perhaps because there's no face-to-face, real-time interaction with email, people are emboldened to send things that they wouldn't normally say to one's face. Political and religious emails sent to someone of a different political and religious persuasion fall into this category. As do emails that are negative toward people of a certain gender or race. Emails like these can definitely cause stress for the recipient, who must decide whether to stand up for their own views and engage in a conflict, or delete and allow an endless procession of additional, similarly inappropriate forwarded fodder.

I leave you with the following resources, and a question for you to answer in the comments or the forum: How have you handled this type of email in the past, and how has that worked for you?

Resources on Courtesy, from Elizabeth Scott and Others:

27 Email Pet Peeves That Tick People Off

Top 20 Rules of Email Etiquette

Office Humor: What's Inappropriate?

Assertiveness Training

Discuss In The Forum!

Most of the mothers I know had a great time with their kids during the summer--having extra time with the kids home from school allows all sorts of opportunities for family game nights, living room camping trips, staying up late, and, yes, making messes! In fact, I know of few moms who don't list Getting The House Under Control as a major perk of school starting up again. (My homeschooling mom friends seem to either have a routine in place so things never get too out-of-control, or have made peace with things being less than magazine-ready.)

Whether you're a mom with kids going back to school, a homeschooling parent looking to create a more peaceful haven, or one of the non-mom masses who would nonetheless like to create a less-stressed environment and lifestyle for yourself, I have some great resources for you!

Sanity-Saving Resources from Elizabeth Scott:

Why It Pays to Organize Your Home
A messy living space can subtly drain your energy and raise your stress levels. It can also bring other unexpected problems into your life! Learn more about why it pays to organize, and find resources to do just that!

Time Management Tips for Moms
Now is a great time to review where your time is going and be sure that you're maximizing your schedule! Whether you're a busy mom or just a busy person, these tips can help you maintain sanity in your schedule.

Low-Stress Ways to Organize
Lots of people get stressed just thinking about cleaning! If that sounds familiar, this article is here to help.

Secrets to Maintaining a Peaceful Place
Like the famed yo-yo diet, many people have yo-yo homes: they work hard cleaning, get things perfect, and then back in that cleanliness for, say a few weeks. Then it's back to being a disaster and a drain! Here are some tips to keeping the clean haven that you create.

Time Management 101
Not as worried about a messy home as a messy lifestyle, bursting at the seams with too much activity? Here are some ways to trim your schedule, and neatly fit in everything that's left. Enjoy!