Top 5 ways to help children deal with stress

The pandemic has brought a lot of anxiety and stress for everyone. Experts say that the stress level has increased for the parents and this can have a severe yet unnoticed impact on children who are unable to adjust to the new environment. However, stress is something that children cannot express themselves in words, but their actions speak a lot louder. It is therefore important to pay attention to them, especially in the mid of a pandemic. Sometimes, simply listening to children and understanding their underlying concerns can provide a window into their minds. This can help parents take measures to alleviate the causes of such stress. Here are the top 5 tips to help children deal with stress when they are not able to understand it themselves.

a. Teach children to understand their own emotions
They can express this by correlating their emotions to their favourite comic or cartoon or even TV characters to express how they feel. When they can finally express their emotions, it is easier to address those concerns. 

b. Empathize with the child
Children need to know that there is someone who will listen to them. They need to feel heard for them to develop the habit of expressing their emotions. 

c. Praise the child for their effort
Recognition and appreciation go a long way. It gives them a sense of pride and this will help reinforce positive behaviour. It is also important to let them know that it is okay to express themselves when they are angry, hurt, or disappointed. 

d. Inculcate the principle of learning from mistakes instead of brooding over them
Children learn from their mistakes, and so, it is important to teach them the learning, instead of punishing them for their mistakes. 

e. Practice breathing techniques with children
The simple exercises will help them calm themselves when they are excessively stressed. This can be something for the parents and children to do as a group activity, it will build a sense of togetherness. 

Since children are now spending most of their time indoors, it would help them if the parents can engage them in a new routine. This will keep monotony, and boredom at bay while also ensuring that children have the liberty to enjoy while staying safe. By taking some simple ways to avoid stressful situations for children, parents can help them stay happy. Children need their free time to play and have social interactions with their friends. They can also be encouraged to develop a hobby and indulge in extracurricular activities. Activities such as crafts, exercises, dance can be encouraged to give them a break.

With online classes and staying at home, the screen time of children is increased by more than 200% through different gadgets and for that reason, parents need to monitor and regulate the content where it is not suitable. As parents it is necessary to remember, there is a good kind of stress too - the type of stress that makes a child strive to learn more, to do more and grow more. Parents can make challenges fun instead of something to be feared and help them engage in fun problem-solving. This form of stress should be encouraged without pushing the child beyond their limits. Parental pressure can also add to stress as much as peer pressure and parents can easily encourage their children without driving them to bad stress to achieve academic and personal goals.

Thus, even when the parents are under pressure, they should act wisely in front of their children. Children might not show it but they understand every reaction and expression of their parents. In the end, the mental state of the parents does influence the children.

The author is the Principal, Orchids The International School - Kurla

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA.)