Where Does Childhood Stress Come From?

Kids nowadays are exposed to a lot more at a much younger age than ever before. While homeschooling can help limit some of the things they are exposed to, chances are you won’t be able to block it all. Absorbing information before they are ready for it can be very distressing.

Sometimes, the source of stress is the parents themselves. I know a woman who feels her son just isn’t stimulated enough at home, so she fills every minute of every day with activities and lessons for him to go to. Her son is five and he is exhausted at the end of each day from going to school, then gymnastics or art lessons, then to swim lessons and the like.

In other cases, the stressor may be something far more serious, such as bullying at soccer, marital issues between parents, or sickness in the family.

Signs Your Child May Be Stressed Out

How do you know if your kids are feeling the pressure? They might not tell you, but here are a few signs that they need to relax.

• Nightmares
• Frequent stomachaches or headaches, especially when they have to do something.
• Overreactions to little things
• Trouble sleeping
• New habits such as chewing on hair, nailbiting, etc. which may be methods of coping with stress.
• Extreme anxiety or dislike of activities they used to enjoy.

You know your child best and you will notice if something is off. Could it be stress? You are the best judge of this.

Reducing Stress

When a child is running on too little too long, they are going to have difficulties. You can do quite a bit to reduce the anxiety a child has and remove some of the pressures.

1. Quit some extracurricular activities. While lessons and activities are great for social interaction and learning, sometimes kids need time to just be themselves and just hang out at home. They don’t need to be occupied every minute of the day, so let them just relax sometimes.

2. Talk to them. In some cases, your child may be stressed by things they are keeping bottled up and talking about them can help. If they are worried about their parents not getting along, it can be useful to reassure them that you still love each other, for example and that you love them.

3. Hang out together. Kids need parental interaction and not just the kind that comes from explaining math problems. Spend fun time with your kids, too. Go for a bike ride, have a picnic or take them fishing. Teach them how to relax by doing it with them.

How do you deal with childhood stress in your family?