Nurturing Resilience A Guide for Parents to Manage Stress in Their Kids, By Guiding Guru Dr. Madhulika Jain
Nurturing Resilienc——A Guide for Parents to Manage Stress in Their Kids
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical discomfort in response to any event or thought that makes a person feel frustrated, angry or nervous or a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation.
In today's fast-paced world, children are increasingly exposed to various stressors, ranging from academic pressures to social challenges.
In small amounts, stress can be good. But,excessive stress can affect the way a child thinks, acts, and feels.
Many stressful events that an adult can manage will cause stress in a child. As a result, even small changes can impact a child's feelings of safety and security.
Different Stressors in kids may include:
Worrying about schoolwork or grades
Juggling responsibilities, such as school and work or sports
Problems with friends, bullying, or peer group pressures
Changing schools, moving, or dealing with housing problems or homelessness
Having negative thoughts about themselves
Going through body changes, in both boys and girls
Seeing parents go through a divorce or separation
Money problems in the family
Living in an unsafe home or neighbourhood
SIGNS OF UNRESOLVED STRESS IN CHILDREN
Children may not recognize that they are stressed. New or worsening symptoms may lead parents to suspect that an increased stress level is present in their child.
Physical symptoms can include:
Decreased appetite, other changes in eating habits
Headache
New or recurrent bedwetting
Nightmares
Sleep disturbances
Upset stomach or vague stomach pain
Other physical symptoms with no physical illness
Emotional or behavioural symptoms may include:
Anxiety, worry
Not able to relax
New or recurring fears (fear of the dark, fear of being alone, fear of strangers)
Clinging, unwilling to let you out of sight
Anger, crying, whining
Not able to control emotions
Aggressive or stubborn behaviour
Going back to behaviours present at a younger age
Doesn't want to participate in family or school activity
HOW PARENTS CAN HELP
Stress can be harmful when kids do not get the support system or the coping skills needed to manage that. Parents can help children respond to stress in healthy ways. Following are some tips:
Safe Home: Provide a safe, secure, and dependable home.
Open Communication: Create an environment where children feel comfortable expressing their feelings and concerns.
Encourage open communication by actively listening to their thoughts and validating their emotions without judgement. This helps build trust and strengthens the parent-child bond.
Establishing Routines: Consistent routines provide children with a sense of stability and predictability, which can help reduce stress. Establish regular schedules for meals, homework, playtime, and bedtime to promote a sense of order and structure in their daily lives.
Promoting Healthy Habits: Encourage healthy lifestyle habits such as regular exercise, nutritious eating, and sufficient sleep. Physical activity helps reduce stress hormones and promotes relaxation, while a balanced diet nourishes both the body and mind. Adequate sleep is also essential for cognitive function and emotional well-being.
Teaching Coping Skills: Teach children coping skills to effectively manage stress when it arises. This may include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques or engaging in hobbies they enjoy. Encourage them to develop problem-solving skills and a positive outlook towards challenges.
Promote media literacy: Today’s kids spend a lot of time online, where they can run into questionable content, cyberbullying, or the peer pressures of social media. Parents can help by teaching their children to be savvy digital consumers, and by limiting screen time.
Combat negative thinking. “I’m terrible at math.” “I hate my hair.” “I’ll never make the team. Why try out?” Children and teens can easily fall into the trap of negative thinking. When children use negative self-talk, though, don’t just disagree. Ask them to really think about whether what they say is true, or remind them of times they worked hard and improved. Learning to frame things positively will help them develop resilience to stress.
Encouraging Social Connections: Foster opportunities for children to build positive relationships with peers, family members, and mentors. Encourage participation in group activities, sports, or clubs where they can connect with others who share similar interests.
Setting Realistic Expectations: Help children set realistic goals and expectations for themselves, taking into account their individual abilities and limitations.
Avoid placing undue pressure on academic achievement or extracurricular success, and instead focus on progress and effort.
Modelling Healthy Coping Strategies: Children often emulate the behaviour of their parents, so it's important for parents to model healthy coping strategies in their own lives.
Let kids be problem-solvers: It’s natural to want to fix your child’s problems. But when parents swoop in to solve every little glitch, their children don’t have a chance to learn healthy coping skills. Let your children try to solve their low-stakes problems on their own, and they’ll gain confidence that they can deal with stressors and setbacks.
Seeking Professional Support:
If a child's stress becomes persistent, consider seeking support from a mental health professional. Therapists or counsellors can provide specialised interventions and strategies tailored to the child's needs, helping them develop resilience and coping
skills
.
TIME TO CALL THE DOCTOR
If your child:
-Is becoming withdrawn, more unhappy, or depressed
-Is having problems in school or interacting with friends or family
-Is unable to control their behaviour or anger
In conclusion, parents play a vital role in helping their children manage stress and build resilience in today's complex world. Parents can empower their children to thrive emotionally and adaptively by nurturing resilience, confidence & self worth.
“THINK HAPPY STAY HAPPY GROW HAPPY”
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