Is childhood really the carefree and happy time that some adults paint it? Not always. The reality is that children are under just as much pressure as the rest of us.

Exams are now taken by children as young as six and seven - and children are only too aware of the importance of academic excellence to parents. But these are not the only stressful occasions for children. Peer pressure and bullying are rife, more families are breaking up, and even time off tends to be a relentless bombardment of noise and image in the form of television and computer games. Stress is neither good nor bad. It assists people in motivation at times but can be paralyzing if it is at too great a level. The degree to which any stress interferes with the well-being varies among children. It is important to assist children in stress-coping early in life, so they can deal with the stresses that are an inevitable part of life.

Parents can help their children cope with stress by keeping in mind the following:

* Do not place undue expectations on your child. In our over-achieving society, too often parents expect their youngsters to excel at everything they do and apply a great deal of (usually well- intentioned) pressure on them to do so. But when stress starts to show itself, it may be time to ask if your expectations are too high.

* Listen to your child when he or she describes stressful events or situations.
Being a good listener will, first of all, reassure your child that you are there with love and support. Moreover, it will help you better understand how you can help.

* Teach your child good problem-solving skills. Demonstrate how to set priorities and accomplish goals by breaking tasks into manageable portions. Improve your own level of organization and avoid being perceived by your children as always harried and rushed. Help your child learn to break big problems into smaller ones that can be dealt with one at a time. Talk with them about how you have handled stressful situations.

* Rehearse stressful situations. If speaking in front of a group or making a phone call to an adult is a cause for stress, it can be helpful to talk it through with your child. Discuss how he or she wants the event to take place, and then go through the situation together in a “trial run”. The chance to practice is helpful, and possible difficulties can be solved together. Most parents have the skills necessary to deal with their child’s stress load. The time to seek professional attention is when any change in behavior persists, or when you have repeatedly tried to resolve the problem and your attempts do not work. If you are unsuccessful after several attempts to get to the bottom of your child’s troubles, see your pediatrician, talk to the people at school or get professional help.

Remember, our children are our greatest and best investment for the future. Raise them with the least amount of stress.

(6 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Technorati Tags: Child Behavior, Children, Parenting, Stress

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!