Stress in Children

Life can be stressful, that's hardly a new idea! When life gets tough, we don't always recognise the signs of stress in ourselves, we may feel angry, overwhelmed, powerless and it is easier to feel those emotions rather than to admit that we are feeling stressed.

Children also feel stress but as adults, we don't always recognise it as this. We may label it as bad behaviour, attention seeking, jealousy, or they are sickening for something. All of these things may be true, but, your child could also be experiencing stress and just does not have the words to explain how they are feeling. It may manifest as physical complaints such as tummy ache, sleep disturbance, bed wetting, headache, refusing to eat, feeling sick etc.

Common causes of stress in children include school, not wanting to leave their caregiver, friendship issues, social situations, attending birthday parties, and family changes such as a new baby, divorce, or death. It can be anything in a child’s life that feels different or that they are worried about but are unable to put into words. I often hear parents say, “Don’t be silly, you’ll be fine,” but to the child it is a real concern. They are not being silly, and it is genuinely causing them stress. Too much stress in children can lead to distress. As they are often unable to explain what is causing their stress, it frequently shows up in their behaviour.

It isn't always possible to prevent stressful situations for children but there are ways of making these difficult events easier to cope with. Be aware of the signs of stress and find ways to relieve it. I cannot list these as they are different for everyone, sometimes just recognising it, talking about it and the use of empathy is all it needs.

If you feel that your child is stressed, don't feel that you are alone, reach out and talk to someone, a family member, a friend, the class teacher, you are never alone, we are always there for you.

Our thought of the week is:

When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it's our job to share our calm and not join in the chaos.