Facilitate children to manage their stress:-

“Don’t hurt your children by making their lives easier” – Robert Heinlein.

Sometimes we think kids are so lucky because they don’t have to worry about chores, paying bills, dealing with tough bosses, peer pressure, office politics, or job performance. But believe me, being a child is not child’s work. On the contrary, they have to face immense apprehension about their performance in school/university, sports, curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities; they also face social, peer and homework pressure; and challenges like dealing with bullies or sexual abuse. Unfortunately, even relaxing activities like sports, art and drawing, dancing, swimming, aerobics, hiking, jumping, cycling, bicycling, and running have become more performance than performance. an enjoyment. All of these dynamics lead to unhelpful and self-critical thoughts that affect your health, your mental/emotional stability, or even your general well-being. Failing a math test or performing poorly in a cricket match will not make them criminals. Failure and denunciation are part of everyone’s life.
The most common question after reading all this is: Can we handle your stress? My answer is no! But surely we can teach them to manage their stress. I can understand that different children deal with pressure in a different way. Some also face significant distressing conditions such as parental divorce, death of parent, parental abuse, parent addicted to drugs or alcohol, living with single parent or stepparent. The child who is too busy or too free also faces multiple stresses. Here are some proven ways:-
• Put pressure on them to face the situation instead of avoiding it, running away or putting it off.
• Make sure they have an adequate sleep pattern and get enough rest for at least 8-10 hours a day.
• They can take a 30-minute power nap during the day to feel refreshed.
• Don’t cut off your emotions. When they are restless, allow them to express their feelings. Instead of saying, “No, you don’t seem scared at all,” say, “You seem a little nervous.” Is there a problem?’ then you can help them find solutions to the problem. Accepting the problem to solve it is crucial.
• Don’t Say ‘Stop Being Nervous’ None of us would love it or do it for a purpose. Instead, help them deal effectively with the stressful situation.
• If your child is in a state of anxiety, do not make negative comments, criticize or scold him. Teach them some stress-relieving techniques like yoga, meditation prayers, tai chi, qigong, or simple deep-breathing exercises.
• You need to schedule their day or help them schedule their day (if they are adults) to include few or at least one relaxing activity.
• Eating a well-balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein at regular intervals also helps control mood swings.
• Reward her bravery. If they faced difficult circumstances with optimism, reward them. By reward I don’t mean expensive gifts, it can be just a few nice words of thanks, a kiss, a hug or a small gift.
• Allow them to cope with a stressful situation appropriate for their age. Don’t overprotect them. Moderate stress is necessary to help a child cope with stressful situations. In fact, help them identify the signs of stress unless they are in a state of stress and find a suitable solution to overcome their irritability.
There are many bodily and mental symptoms of stress. Corporate signs include-
• increased blood pressure, heartbeat
• decreased/increased appetite
• headache
• Stomach ache
• nightmares
• stutter
• Sleep disorder
• bedwetting
Whereas, psychological indicators are-
• cry for no reason
• buzz, stubbornness or lack of concentration
• throw tantrums
• constant worry, fear, anger, or nervousness
• stickiness
• unable to control emotions
• the invariable feeling of fatigue
• Childish habits like teeth grinding or finger biting (yes, seen even in an adult/growing child)
If you can’t handle your stress, seek help from teachers, coaches, counselors, or therapists. Ultimately, it all starts with you. If you show them how positively you handle their discomfort or problematic situation, they will follow in your footsteps, for today’s anxiety-free child is tomorrow’s healthy youth.