Does Your Kid Have Stress Issues?
When your kid is anxious, there is almost nothing more upsetting or challenging to deal with as a parent.
Your kid may act out and cry more frequently than usual, or your feelings as a parent may lead you to believe that something is “off” when they are under stress.
However, other times it may not be evident that your kid is under duress, leaving you perplexed. After all, most kids cannot settle down with their parents and express their tension. Furthermore, worry in kids doesn’t always appear as it does in adults.
Children’s Stress Signs
Although we all occasionally experience stress, as adults, we can typically recognize when we are under pressure. We might experience physical strain, headaches, frenzied heartbeats, and generalized feelings of foreboding and unease.
But just like adults, kids get stressed out when they go through challenging times. We must develop the ability to spot these symptoms and indications to support our children.
— Physical Symptoms
- A child experiencing stress may have trouble sleeping; despite being tired, they may have difficulty falling or staying asleep.
- You may notice changes to your child’s eating habits: they may be eating noticeably less, or they may be eating much more.
- Children experiencing stress are more prone to nightmares and episodes of bedwetting.
- They may complain of headaches and tummy aches; school-age children may be frequent visitors to the nurse’s office during times of stress.
— Emotional Symptoms
- Your child may be unusually moody — happy one second and grumpy the next.
- Older children may be angry, irritable, and argumentative.
- Stressed children may be more clingy to their parents and unable to try new things or meet new people.
- Your child may be unable to control their feelings and generally seem more emotional.
- Your child may experience heightened amounts of worry and anxiety.
— Behavioral Symptoms
- A stressed child may be more prone to meltdowns and less apt to abide by your rules at home.
- Your child may want to avoid participating in activities they usually enjoy and might prefer to stay home.
- Older children may be unable to complete homework when stressed; they may not be willing to do their household chores.
- Your child may regress to less mature behaviors that they seem to have outgrown.
- New, anxious habits such as thumb-sucking, nose-picking, and nail-biting might occur in younger kids.
- Older kids may exhibit aggressive and even bullying behavior.
- Older kids may have noticeable drops in their grades or academic performance.
What Leads to Childhood Stress?
Do everything you can to make your kid feel better if they show stress symptoms. Make an effort to comprehend why your kid might be worried. This is one of the first and most crucial things you can do.
The first step in helping your kid manage and get through their stress is figuring out what is causing it.
Potential triggers of worry in kids include:
- An overscheduled life — too many activities and not enough downtime.
- Academic or social pressure from school.
- Having difficulty separating from parents (separation anxiety).
- Financial stress in the family or a parent who is experiencing work stress.
- Concern over the health or well-being of a loved one.
- Divorce or parental separation.
- Death of a loved one.
- Moving and starting a new school.
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
- Living in an unsafe home or neighborhood.
- Experiencing puberty and other body changes.
- Problems in a child’s friend circles, including arguments and peer pressure.
- Experiencing bullying.
- Worry and fear about frightening world events, including wars and mass shootings.
How to Manage
Although everyone in life experiences tensions occasionally, including children, it is not something to take for granted. In some respects, worry can foster children’s development and resilience. On the other hand, children who experience chronic or extended fear may develop problems that last a lifetime.
Here are some ideas for helping your child cope with stress:
- Please give them a safe, non-judgmental space to share their feelings.
- Be a good listener; allow your child to share their feelings without trying to silence them, correct them, or change how they feel.
- Younger children may need help naming their feelings and help to understand the ways that stress can manifest in their bodies.
- Provide predictable routines for your child around how your day is structured, mealtimes, and bedtimes; patterns can be soothing for children during stress.
- Ensure your child gets enough sleep, time outside exercising, and healthy, regular meals.
- Take some time each day to give your child your undivided attention, whether that means playing with them, talking to them, or listening to their feelings.
- Prepare your child in advance for any stressful situations, outlining what to expect and answering any questions they may have.
- Encourage older children to write out their feelings or do some journaling.
- Make meditation and mindfulness part of your routine with your child; several meditation apps on the market are geared toward children, which can be helpful.
When to Get Professional Help
When your child’s tension levels are too high for you to handle alone, they may require expert assistance. The following are indicators that your kid might profit from treatment, counseling, or a visit to the pediatrician:
- Your child has started to withdraw from you or their friends.
- Your child is experiencing not just stress, but signs of anxiety or depression.
- Your child can’t control their anger or aggression.
- Your child is having trouble functioning in school or social situations.
If parents are having trouble supporting their kids, they may also seek expert assistance. Stress and worry can arise if you can’t assist your kid. As you help your child navigate this, it may benefit you to receive extra assistance for yourself.
