Stress is a feeling of strain and pressure. Stress makes a person feel uneasy. Stress has many negative outcomes. People who suffer from stress experience different problems with their health like high blood pressure, lost appetite, migraine, lost sleep and even heart attacks.
Stress can also cause several other harms like social withdrawal, nervousness and overall irritability. People face stress due to several reasons. Some reasons for stress include catastrophes or crises faced by a person, conflicts in life, death of a closed relative, job loss etc. Changes in life cycle like marriage, divorce or giving birth to a child can also be a cause of stress.
It is generally believed that stress is faced only by adults. It is a big misconception. Kids of all ages face stress. The younger the kid; minor are the factors that can cause him stress. Getting admitted to a new school, finding friends, a new teacher or even a rearranged classroom may be a cause of stress for kids. Several kids face stress because of their studies. Another important factor that often cause stress to kids is fights among the parents or stress faced by the parents.
A key fact that needs to be considered when discussing stress faced by the kids is that kids cannot express and manage stress as adults can. So a significant responsibility lies with the kid’s parents is to recognize the stress faced by their kid.
Some symptoms from which stress can be recognized include behaviors like refusal to go to school, frequent crying, bed wetting, nightmares or sleeping problems. Too much stress can even cause your kid stomachaches and headaches frequently.
One you face such symptoms or feel that your kid is under stress. The best solution is to talk with your kid in a friendly way and ask him that what are the problems faced by him. If your kid is too young, you can ask him questions like Do you like your school? Do you have friends in your school? Who is your favorite teacher? Etc. Answers to such questions will give you an idea about why is your kid facing stress.
Once you know the reason for your kid’s stress you can find solutions. You can either solve the problem yourself or can help your kid do it. Solving the problem yourself will not teach your kid stress management, so do not opt for it unless the problem is really acute.
You can help your kids to reduce stress by using positive statements like it is fun to make friends, the new school is more beautiful etc. You can also reduce your kid’s stress by playing with him, by going on a picnic or by involving him in some creative activity. A hug is often a good reliever of stress.
The most important thing is to have faith in your child and ensure him that you trust him and will always be there for him. This will reduce the stress of your child and will make him grow into a healthier adult.