As another school year begins, childhood stress is often reported as a common factor in creating emotional dramas around the home. ScottCounseling would like to recognize author Carol Denbow, child development specialist and author of numerous parenting articles,as one who has numerous positive solutions for this topic of concern shared by many parents.

 Childhood Stress

Compared to our lives as adults, it may seem as if children don’t have any stress at all.
But children can experience stress just as much or more than adults. They may not show outward signs of stress because children experience stress in different forms. It is mportant to identify and help you children cope with the stressors in heir lives on a aily basis. hen children are asked what causes them stress, the most common answers are chool, homework, grades, family, friends, peer pressure, and being teased. Some hildren respond to stress by injuring themselves, over-eating, losing their temper, or eing silent. Others, in a healthier effort of coping, might play, listen to music, watch TV, lay video games, cry, or talk to their parents. It’s crucial to your child’s mental and physical health that they utilize positive means of relieving stress.

Parents need to watch and be aware of their children’s stresses and help them deal with them. Otherwise, children may practice unhealthy ways to cope. When parents teach their children the right ways to cope with stress, they are teaching them habits the children will use to better cope with stress as adults.

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.scottcounseling.com

Further Reading:

• Childhood Stress Symptoms
• Dealing with Anxiety and Stress
• Breath and Reduce Stress
• Children and Stress: Are You Pushing Your Child Too Hard?
• Hurting Teens: Parenting A Teen Going Through Pain

Child Stress by Age

Age High Moderate Low

6-8 6% 27% 35%
9-13 9% 39% 26%
14-17 10% 49% 21%
Common Childhood Stressors:

Decision making

Health issues

Death of relative

Unresolved issues

Nightmares

Friends

Unhappy people

Siblings

Noise

Safety and security concerns

Chores

School

Fear

Activities

Food

Feeling unloved

Doctors

Parents

Pain

Time

Change

Illness

Unknown Events

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.scottcounseling.com

Further Reading:

• Dealing with Anxiety and Stress
• Breath and Reduce Stress
• Activity Overload: Are Kids Doing Too Much?
• Protecting Your Child: Safety Starts With Good Communication
• Why Should Parents Teach Life Skills?

Are You Pushing Your Child Too Hard?

Often a child appears to be very grown up and able to handle responsibility–he or she may even seem like a “miniature adult.” However, parents may inadvertently treat their children as adults too early and hurry them along in the process of growing up. Parents need to watch for the possibility that their child has been given too much responsibility and is being pushed too hard.

Pressures on children most often occurs during the middle childhood years as children feel pressures from a number of sources. They may feel pressure from within themselves, from parents, from teachers and peers, and from society. Children must respond to and adapt to these pressures.

Children typically welcome some events, while others are more difficult for them to take on. As children continue to grow, they may be more able to express opinions and concerns about their activities. Early in the middle childhood years, however, a child’s commitment and stress level often are controlled by a parent or adult.

Young school-age children will sometimes express their feelings directly. Some children, however, may internalize stress and show it through sadness, depression, or withdrawal. Other children may express feelings of stress outwardly and begin to misbehave.

Signs of Over commitment:

Stress is a part of life and growing up, but adults need to keep a watchful eye on children and intervene when they sense something is undermining a child’s physical or psychological well-being.

Here are some signs that stress may be having a negative impact on a child:

The child develops physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach pains.

The child seems restless, tired, and agitated.

The child appears depressed and will not communicate how he or she feels.

The child seems less interested in an activity that was once very important to him or her, such as baseball or dance class.

The child’s grades begin to fall, and he or she has less interest than usual in attending classes and doing homework.

The child exhibits antisocial behavior, such as lying and stealing, forgets or refuses to do chores, and seems more dependent on the parent than in the past.

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.scottcounseling.com

Further Reading:

• Enforcing Rules and Setting Limits
• Protecting Your Child: Safety Starts With Good Communication
• Why Should Parents Teach Life Skills?
• Success In School!
• Making Science Fun!