Stress in children? Yes! Stress is not only common in adults but affects children as well.
Gloominess, bed wetting, stubbornness, upset stomach, quietness, loss of appetite, irritability, nightmares, clingingness, unwillingness to do anything, all of these can possibly be the outcome of stress in your child. Stress in children can be due to various reasons – change in home, in school, in teacher; unhealthy home atmosphere, birth of a sibling, bullying at school, death of a pet; inability to cope with education and many more.
Parents should understand that changes, big or small, can disturb the emotional balance of the child. Conditions, slightly or acutely adverse, can have a major impact on the child’s mental health. Having understood the effects of stress and accepting the fact that your child can also be stressed, parents need to know how they can avoid being stress givers and how they can be stress busters.
Pressurizing children to perform, academically or in sports or in any talent, is a big no. Set realistic expectations from your child without making success or failure the deciding factor of your relationship with him. Create a loving atmosphere at home. Try to spend some relaxing moments with your child everyday by reading books or playing games or cracking jokes.
Most important is to give freedom to express to your child. Let him express his emotions, his fears. Talking his heart out to you will relieve your child. And with this kind of open communication, you’ll know how you can be of help to your child. Give your child, the time and guidance to handle changes in life. Assure him, it is alright to feel low sometimes but at the same time one has to move on. Acceptance and assurance of parents is the biggest encouragement to the child.
Enhance your child’s self worth. Encourage, appreciate and love your child. Give him opportunities to succeed and know his worth. Give him the space to think for himself independently and feel in control of his life.
With this kind of a relationship with your child and a strong support system, your child will be able to handle stress in his life with ease. Gradually, he will start taking less stress and become emotionally strong. And that will surely relieve you of stress.
So go, have a friendly football match with your child and kick out the stress out of his and your life too.