I’ve been thinking a lot lately about stress. Not just mine, but the stress that children seem to be under in their daily lives.
Stressors for children may include: school, sports, texting, relationships, homework, pogs, siblings, the news, letter grades, problem solving, uncertainty, tests, friends, boys, girls, parents, teachers, principals, Facebook (remember – not recommended for children under 13 years of age), etc.
The Health Canada web site lists the following signs that you are over-stressed:
- Feelings of irritability, sadness or guilt
- Change in sleep patterns
- Change in weight or appetite
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Negative thinking
- Loss of interest, enjoyment or energy in something you used to enjoy
- Restlessness
Do you see this in your children? If you do, it probably contributes to your stress levels as well.
Can some stress be good for us? In some circumstances, yes. I know some children who might benefit from being a bit more stressed about their school work (no comments on this accepted from my mother 🙂 ).
How do we teach children to handle stress? Can we teach these skills if we do not know how to handle our own stress?
Here are some links that might help families who are interested in this topic:
- Kidshealth.org – There is a good article on stress for teens, and a number of other useful pages for families.
- Kids Have Stress Too! – Information from the Psychology Foundation of Canada.
- Students and Stress – Information from the University of Alberta Health Centre.
I am not an expert on stress, and I know that some days (or weeks) I handle it better than other times.
For today, I am going to visit the classes, ask children about learning, teach some English as a Second Language, and connect with some children I know who are experiences some stressful times. I am also going to keep thinking about a Simon & Garfunkel song:
“Slow down, you move too fast, you’ve got to make the morning last.”
Thanks for the card Zoe – that helps relieve my stress too :).
Take care.