Children and StressChildren and Stress

A Parent Information and Resource A Parent Information and Resource Center WorkshopCenter Workshop

What is stress?What is stress?

A feeling that’s created when we react to A feeling that’s created when we react to certain eventscertain events

The body’s way of rising to a challengeThe body’s way of rising to a challenge What you feel when you are worried or What you feel when you are worried or

uncomfortable about somethinguncomfortable about something

Sources of StressSources of Stress

Pressures from family, Pressures from family, friends or schoolfriends or school

Academic Academic Social/ need to fit inSocial/ need to fit in Overscheduling of Overscheduling of

after-school activitiesafter-school activities World newsWorld news

Chronic illness or Chronic illness or death in the familydeath in the family

Divorce or separationDivorce or separation Child hearing adult Child hearing adult

conversationsconversations

Good versus Bad StressGood versus Bad Stress

Good stress- keeps us alert and “on our Good stress- keeps us alert and “on our toes”toes”

Examples- studying for a final exam, giving a Examples- studying for a final exam, giving a speech, taking a penalty shotspeech, taking a penalty shot

Bad stress- long-term situations that cause Bad stress- long-term situations that cause the body to create extra stress hormonesthe body to create extra stress hormones

What Stresses Children out the What Stresses Children out the Most?Most?

KidsHealth KidsPoll 2008KidsHealth KidsPoll 2008 875 9-13 year olds875 9-13 year olds 36%- grades, school, and homework36%- grades, school, and homework 32%- family32%- family 21%- friends, peers, gossip and teasing21%- friends, peers, gossip and teasing

How Children are Handling Stress?How Children are Handling Stress?

52%- play or do something active52%- play or do something active 44%- listen to music44%- listen to music 42%- watch TV or play a video game42%- watch TV or play a video game 30%- talk to a friend30%- talk to a friend 29%- try not to think about it29%- try not to think about it 28%- try to work things out28%- try to work things out

How Children are Handling Stress?How Children are Handling Stress?

26%- eat something26%- eat something 23%- lose their temper23%- lose their temper 22%- talk to a parent22%- talk to a parent 11%- cry11%- cry

Source: KidsHealth National KidsPoll, KidsHealth.org , Source: KidsHealth National KidsPoll, KidsHealth.org , Nemours FoundationNemours Foundation

Reactions to Too Much StressReactions to Too Much Stress

StomachachesStomachaches HeadachesHeadaches MoodinessMoodiness Drop in grades or school performanceDrop in grades or school performance Sadness or depressionSadness or depression Problems sleepingProblems sleeping OvereatingOvereating AnxietyAnxiety

How to Help Your Child?How to Help Your Child?

Teach coping strategies.Teach coping strategies. Put a label on your child’s emotions. Help Put a label on your child’s emotions. Help

your child find the words to describe your child find the words to describe feelings.feelings.

“ “No wonder you felt mad when…”No wonder you felt mad when…” “ “That must have been upsetting.”That must have been upsetting.” Brainstorm and problem solve with your Brainstorm and problem solve with your

child. “What else can you do?” child. “What else can you do?”

How to Help Your Child?How to Help Your Child?

Limit stress when possible. Ex: Limit access to Limit stress when possible. Ex: Limit access to world news, adult conversations, cut out extra world news, adult conversations, cut out extra activities if having difficulty with homework activities if having difficulty with homework completion completion

If your child does not want to talk, suggest doing If your child does not want to talk, suggest doing something together.something together.

Allow your child to guide how you help. You can Allow your child to guide how you help. You can not solve all his/her problems. Children need to not solve all his/her problems. Children need to learn how to be resilient.learn how to be resilient.

ResourcesResources

kidshealth.org , The Nemours Foundation , The Nemours Foundation www.nasponline.org/families , National , National

Association of School PsychologistsAssociation of School Psychologists family.samhsa.gov , Family Guide provided family.samhsa.gov , Family Guide provided

by U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, by U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Substance Abuse & Mental Health AdministrationAdministration