Stress and children
Stressful events can disrupt a childs normal routine. Many stressful events in a short period of time can have a large impact on the child. These may be everyday stressors for children. The symptoms of stress may include more school absences than usual, pain such as headaches, stomach upsets, nausea, worsening of chronic illness or a depressed mood, anxiety, lowered self-esteem and loss of interest in activities that the child used to enjoy.
Children welcome some events and are able to adapt to them with relative ease. Most stress faced by children on a daily basis, at home, in school or society, is not seriously harmful, but rather a part of accomplishing the tasks of childhood and learning about themselves.
Childrens temperaments vary and thus they are quite different in their ability to cope with stress. Some are easygoing by nature and adjust easily to events and new situations while others are thrown off balance by changes in their lives. All children are able to manage stress well if they feel they have the ability and the emotional support of their family and friends. Children who have a clear sense of personal competence, and who feel loved and supported, generally manage the challenges successfully.
How a child perceives and responds to stress depends in part on development, in part on experience, and in part on a childs individual temperament. Ironically, many parents believe that their school-age children are unaware of the stresses around them and are somehow immune to them.
Not all stress is bad. Moderate amounts of pressure imposed by a teacher or a coach, for example, can motivate a child to keep her performance up in school or to participate more fully in athletic activities. Successfully managing stressful situations or events enhances a childs ability to cope in the future.
Exam blues
Examinations are trying times. The stress and pressure associated with them not only affects the students doing the examination but their families as well. It is sad that there is always a spate of suicides at examination times.
There are three primary reasons for undergoing stress during exams: Parentral expectations (which stems from social pressure and status consciousness ), Peer pressure, and lastly, the child’s own desire to perform well in exams.
It’s advised that there should be zero pressure from parents, rather they should always help the child directly/indirectly in dealing with the other two causes of pressure.Parents should never compare children. The child should be repeatedly informed about his value in the family irrespective of his academic record. Remember, life is too precious to be burdened with books only. Exposing your child to too much pressure to perform better in exams is likely to have a negative effect. As it is, she is burdened with her studyload. Most parents are obsessed with the feeling that their child will lag behind if they don’t keep reminding him of the importance of studies.
The following pointers will serve your child well on an every day basis:
• Try to identify the source of the stress and then solve the issue together about how to best manage it.
• Let the child talk about the stressful events or changes in his life. The support and understanding given can help the child manage stress.
• Let the child make simple decisions at relevant times.
• Because stress often makes a child feel powerless, help children by showing them that they have control over certain parts of life. For example, let the child decide what to have for dinner or how to spend the day.
• Encourage children to do as well as they can, but try not to pressurise them or make them feel that you will be very disappointed if they dont do well.
• Help them to balance their time, making allowance for exercise, rest, hobbies, staying in touch with friends, going out and having fun etc.
• Encourage them to do something active when they feel really stressed, such as go for a run or play an energetic game.
During exam time:
• Think positively. Avoid everything that makes you think negatively and lowers your self esteem.
• Do yoga and meditation for calming your mind and building confidence.
• Follow a healthy diet, rich in vitamins and nutrients. Avoid junk, oily and fried food.
• Sleep well to relax and help your brain regain its power. A minimum 7 to 8 hour sleep is mandatory.
• Keep yourself physically active by exercising or walking for at least 15 minutes.
Stressful events can disrupt a childs normal routine. Many stressful events in a short period of time can have a large impact on the child. These may be everyday stressors for children. The symptoms of stress may include more school absences than usual, pain such as headaches, stomach upsets, nausea, worsening of chronic illness or a depressed mood, anxiety, lowered self-esteem and loss of interest in activities that the child used to enjoy.
Children welcome some events and are able to adapt to them with relative ease. Most stress faced by children on a daily basis, at home, in school or society, is not seriously harmful, but rather a part of accomplishing the tasks of childhood and learning about themselves.
Childrens temperaments vary and thus they are quite different in their ability to cope with stress. Some are easygoing by nature and adjust easily to events and new situations while others are thrown off balance by changes in their lives. All children are able to manage stress well if they feel they have the ability and the emotional support of their family and friends. Children who have a clear sense of personal competence, and who feel loved and supported, generally manage the challenges successfully.
How a child perceives and responds to stress depends in part on development, in part on experience, and in part on a childs individual temperament. Ironically, many parents believe that their school-age children are unaware of the stresses around them and are somehow immune to them.
Not all stress is bad. Moderate amounts of pressure imposed by a teacher or a coach, for example, can motivate a child to keep her performance up in school or to participate more fully in athletic activities. Successfully managing stressful situations or events enhances a childs ability to cope in the future.
Exam blues
Examinations are trying times. The stress and pressure associated with them not only affects the students doing the examination but their families as well. It is sad that there is always a spate of suicides at examination times.
There are three primary reasons for undergoing stress during exams: Parentral expectations (which stems from social pressure and status consciousness ), Peer pressure, and lastly, the child’s own desire to perform well in exams.
It’s advised that there should be zero pressure from parents, rather they should always help the child directly/indirectly in dealing with the other two causes of pressure.Parents should never compare children. The child should be repeatedly informed about his value in the family irrespective of his academic record. Remember, life is too precious to be burdened with books only. Exposing your child to too much pressure to perform better in exams is likely to have a negative effect. As it is, she is burdened with her studyload. Most parents are obsessed with the feeling that their child will lag behind if they don’t keep reminding him of the importance of studies.
The following pointers will serve your child well on an every day basis:
• Try to identify the source of the stress and then solve the issue together about how to best manage it.
• Let the child talk about the stressful events or changes in his life. The support and understanding given can help the child manage stress.
• Let the child make simple decisions at relevant times.
• Because stress often makes a child feel powerless, help children by showing them that they have control over certain parts of life. For example, let the child decide what to have for dinner or how to spend the day.
• Encourage children to do as well as they can, but try not to pressurise them or make them feel that you will be very disappointed if they dont do well.
• Help them to balance their time, making allowance for exercise, rest, hobbies, staying in touch with friends, going out and having fun etc.
• Encourage them to do something active when they feel really stressed, such as go for a run or play an energetic game.
During exam time:
• Think positively. Avoid everything that makes you think negatively and lowers your self esteem.
• Do yoga and meditation for calming your mind and building confidence.
• Follow a healthy diet, rich in vitamins and nutrients. Avoid junk, oily and fried food.
• Sleep well to relax and help your brain regain its power. A minimum 7 to 8 hour sleep is mandatory.
• Keep yourself physically active by exercising or walking for at least 15 minutes.