The hottest topic today among the parents of school going children, especially those in high school is related to stress relief. This prompted the latest topic for my parenting post over at Parentous.
Stress is a healthy and natural component of life but when it interferes with your routine, it is time to take action and restore the balance. You can recognize stress through various symptoms such as fatigue, sweating, nose blocks, an inexplicable thirst, tired muscles that refuse to cooperate….all this causing your blood to thicken and increasing your risk for a heart-attack.
Luckily, there are many instant ways to overcome stress and it is as simple as making lifestyle changes. Coping strategies involve a strong support system, relaxation, exercise and a positive mental attitude – all of which help keep that balance.
With children, stress manifests in the form of listlessness, a tendency to be cranky, sometimes a loss of appetite leading to all sorts of imagined ailments. Their performance in school drops, they become withdrawn and disinterested in everything. Now obviously not going to school or refusing to eat will not resolve the situation.
We all want our children to be happy, active and enjoy life. And the good news is, as parents or guardians of children, we can easily ensure that stress does not overtake their lives.
Just being present in a mindful way in our children’s lives makes a big difference. So does listening and spending family time together. In our house, we are raising a happy teenager in an atmosphere of love and affection. I recently realized that our son, like me, works best fueled by the pressure within him. That’s healthy. He sets high standards for himself and works hard towards them. And we consider it our responsibility to make sure he doesn’t get stressed by spending time with him.
His favorite ways to bust stress are through his hobbies – sketching, singing, listening to music, reading and enjoying time together as a family, besides spending time with friends. We also encourage him to meditate – and he has found his happy way by sitting for 30 minutes and reciting prayers. It has a visible calming effect on that busy mind.
The thing with children is, most of the time they hesitate to share what goes on in their mind for fear of being ridiculed. It is up to the family to draw them out, make them feel loved and respect their feelings, letting them know they are worthy, good human beings and capable of achieving their dreams.
In my post at Parentous, I’ve offered some tips to help children stay stress free.
Today, more than ever before, children are subject to a lot of pressure – peer pressure, performance pressure and of course, pressure from within to keep up with all they have to do. They set their own high standards for themselves, thanks to the competitive environment in which they grow up. Even 96 out of 100 per cent is a low score when it comes to competing for all those entrance tests after Class X. Oh yes, the pressure is on in my household too…..
May I invite you to please visit and read my post at “Helping Children Stay Stress-Free”
Relax. It is not so hard. Life looks a lot brighter when you’re alive. Truth.
I would love to hear some tips to help children keep stress away
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