As adults, we envision childhood as the most carefree time of a person’s life. However, children can feel stress just like adults do. In fact, their stress is often overlooked or hand-waved away. Understanding these unseen pressures and learning how to alleviate them is crucial for teaching them healthy coping and building resilience in the face of difficult experiences.
Academic Pressures
As a parent, you want your child to excel in school. But sometimes, the pressure to achieve as high as possible can become stressful for a kid. Standardized testing, piles of homework, and the constant push for good grades are all stressors for children. They may internalize their parents’ expectations and become perfectionists, which is also a sign of coping with stress. When a kid also has a host of extracurricular activities like sports, part-time jobs, and volunteering, the pressures can be overwhelming.
Complicated Family Dynamics
If your family is going through a tough time or major transition, your children may be feeling the pressure, too. Divorce, financial difficulties, and volatile parental relationships can create a tense home environment. Unrealistic expectations for kids, such as those that come with helicopter parenting and strict policies, aren’t good for their mental health. Even positive events like moving to a new home or the arrival of a new sibling can disrupt their sense of stability.
Society, Technology, and Friend Circles
It’s important for kids to make friends. Still, this can be a difficult area for many children. Bullying, peer pressure, and the need to fit in are all very stressful. With constant access to the internet, social media adds another dimension to their stress and insecurities. Children are constantly bombarded with images and messages that can affect their self-esteem.
How to Help
Be Their Safe Person
When you make sure there’s open communication between you and your kid, you can help alleviate their stress. Create a safe space where your child feels comfortable expressing their feelings. It’s important to listen and validate their emotions. Try to have regular check-ins about their stress levels.
Make Sure They’re Healthy
Encourage a balanced lifestyle that includes time for academics, extracurricular activities, and relaxation. It’s very important for children to have a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables. They should also practice healthy sleep habits. This isn’t always easy or realistic to achieve, so help them manage their time so they’ll have time to unwind and engage in activities they enjoy.
Help Them Relax
Teaching children grounding, mindfulness, coping, and relaxation techniques can equip them with tools to manage stress. Practices such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help children calm difficult emotions and feel more in control. Introducing these techniques in a fun and engaging way will make them easier to incorporate into a daily routine.
Give Positive Reinforcement
When you champion your child’s successes, you’ll help build their self-esteem. Acknowledge and celebrate their efforts and achievements, no matter how small. Focus on their strengths and encourage a growth mindset, where mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning rather than failures.
Limit Screen Time
Studies are showing that unlimited access to screens can be detrimental to a child’s mental health. Excessive screen time is proven to contribute to stress and anxiety. Set reasonable limits on screen time and encourage in-person interactions with friends and family. Monitor their social media use and educate them about the importance of online safety and healthy digital habits.
Is Your Child Dealing with Stress?
Once you recognize the signs of stress in your child, it may be time to get them professional help. A therapist can evaluate what’s going on and pinpoint the particular stressors in your life. Together, you can collaborate on how to alleviate areas that can be addressed, such as pressures at home. Their therapist will also teach them healthy coping mechanisms so that they’re more resilient in the face of difficult emotions.
To find out more about how therapy can help children cope with stress, please reach out to our office. We have a growing team of therapists who can work competently with you child and their needs.
