How to help a child to overcome Stress?

Have you noticed your child behaving differently some days? The times when he/she does not eat the food properly, times when he/she cannot sleep, times when he/she falls sick repeatedly. One of the reasons for all the above-mentioned instances can be stress. By the name, it may seem a non-serious topic. But as the child is growing, stress can become a hindrance to his/her growth. Thus the parents have to be careful and they need to find a way out to help their kids. Being a father of a 6-year-old son, I can tell, that handling the child when he is stressed can be a task. First and foremost is to know when the child is stressed out. As parents, it is on our part to know the various behavior the child has. Many times, the parents do not have enough time to notice, if the child is undergoing something. Before I tell how to help the child to overcome stress, let me first highlight on what stress really is and how it evolves.

The term stress refers to a physical, emotional, mental factor that causes tension both bodily and mentally. Stress can be internal or external. Stress can be caused due to anything. There is no set pattern of stress. Thus when kids face stressful situations, they either deal with it in a healthy way or unhealthy way. Research shows that even infants can have stressful times. It is mainly caused due to the presence of stress hormone called cortisol. Due to cortisol, the babies or the infants may behave irritated most of the times. The solution to overcoming those times is to cater to the infants need. As the infant grows up and moves to the next phase that is childhood, there is another level of stress that they experience.

Many times parents do not understand what the child really wants because the child cannot express. Thus it is important as a parent to be emotionally and physically be available for the kids. There are a couple of ways in which the kids handle stress. Some of them are:

1. Going to play.
2. Listening to music.
3. Watching television.
4. Ignoring the problem and engaging in other activities.
5. Talking it out with someone.
6. By crying.

Above mentioned are some ways in which the children handle their stress. They might work positively. As parents, we need to ensure that stress does not hinder our kid’s growth. Here are some ways the parents can help the children overcome stress. They are as follows:

1. Talking it out with the child: If the child has had a bad day at school or in the game, then it is better to talk to him/her. Many times the kids might not like to talk about their failure or embarrassing moments. In such situations, the parents have to patient and calm. Talking the problem out is the first step to help the kid to not feel the stress. For instance, if the child feels stressful about any class work or homework, be available to help them out. Or if you are running busy then services like write my essay for me take up the job to complete the work.
2. Be a good Listener: Once the parents are aware the reason for the stress, they tend to talk rather than the kid. Being a good listener is extremely important. All the kids are different, some talk openly, some are an introvert. Thus the parents have to be patient and listen well. This way the child will feel the importance, and he/she will feel comforted.

Along with listening the parents need to show some empathy so that the child knows that you care and you are there.

1. Help the child to identify emotions: The child can feel very stressed when he/she cannot identify what they are feeling. As parents, we need to help the child identify emotions. For instance, if the child gets angry, the parents need to tell the child that anger is an emotion. Or if the child is happy, he/she should be told what happiness is. Once the child is aware of the emotions, he/she will be able to deal with stress in a better way.
2. Stop over scheduling: Today, many parents want to portray their child as the winner and the ultimate one. Due to which they would want the child to learn everything. This might include putting the child in various classes like dance, gymnastics, maths, drawing, singing and so on. Sometimes the parents even pressurize the child to handle all the classes. This can cause a lot of stress.

Thus, it is best to not have a packed day for the child. The child should have his/her own time too.

5. It is ok to make mistakes: The parents need to tell their kids, that it is alright to make mistakes. There are some kids who are afraid to make mistakes, as their parents might get upset. What one needs to realize is that with mistakes one learns. Hence assure your kids that it is ok to make mistakes and not be scared. Once the child gains the confidence then he/she will be able to handle stress.

Above mentioned are a few steps that can help parents to help their child overcome stress. There are many other ways which the parents will discover in the process.

Keith Mathew is a writer associated with Bargain papers lifesaver. Presently he is working on education field and parenting.