Many children complain about being too busy, that there is no free time in their daily schedule. With afternoons and evenings chocked full of homework, after school activities and chores–there’s no spare moments to relax, unwind or daydream. Children especially worry about pleasing their parents and often they absorb whatever stress the parents are experiencing. When parents are upset, children feel it.

Since it’s not always easy to identity a child’s stress–here are ways to recognize the symptoms.

STEP 1 – Pay Attention to Tears

A child who is stressed may cry for what seems like no apparent reason. Tears may indicate that your child is overwhelmed and unable to explain what’s bothering her. Children are not always able to verbalize clearly the source of worry–and that adds to the overwhelmed feeling, heightens his anxiety and creates a vicious circle of added pressure. Tears may be an indication that a child is feeling shaky. Don’t “poo-poo” or poke fun at a child who is crying.

STEP 2 – Don’t Dismiss a Child’s Crankiness as Merely Being Difficult

A child who is cranky, moody or snapping is trying to tell you something. A parent’s job is to listen to the message underneath the moody behaviors so that you can uncover the source of the trouble. Crankiness or moodiness in children is a signal that he’s under pressure and is not sure how to manage it. As the adult, it’s up to you to guess what the irritation might be. Identifying the source of discomfort is the beginning step in teaching healthy stress management.

STEP 3 – Watch for Nighttime Blues

Stress often shows up as shifts in nighttime routine. Sleepless nights, bedwetting in younger children, bad dreams, postponing bedtime or inability to wake up in the morning can all be indicators that a child is ruminating about daytime pressures. When you notice nighttime behavioral changes, think about what is going on in the child’s daily life that might be stressful.

STEP 4 – Notice Attitude Changes

A downward spiral from a positive cooperative attitude to one of negativity may be the only clue that a child is teetering on the edge. This is not the time for scolding.

STEP 5 – Be Aware of Academic and Social Pressures

Since school is such a big part of the child’s life, there are many sources of pressure throughout the day. From a preschooler who suffers separation anxiety to a teenager pushing to excel, no child escapes the stress of school and social life.

STEP 6 – Pay Attention to Physical Symptoms

Some children experience physical symptoms from stomachaches to headaches to vague body pains. He is expressing through his body what he can’t express in words.

STEP 7 – Remember if One Member of the Family is Upset, Everyone Feels it

If parents are sick, worried about work, anxious about financial matters, or arguing amongst themselves, children sense it and are affected. Children absorb parents’ stress and anxieties and then worry.

No related posts.