Helping Your Child Cope With Stress

They say that the rocks that undergoes a lot of immense pressure can form a diamond. While there might be a truth about this saying, but most rocks that undergoes a lot of pressure turns into dust.

Yes, pressure is a normal part of our life. It drives us to work harder, to push ourselves to do better, and to mold us to become a better individual, all of which are beneficial for our self-esteem and our ultimate success.

However, when pressure starts to escalate too much, or when it is dealt upon us before we are even capable of dealing with it physically, emotionally, or mentally, it can have a detrimental effect to our health and personal relationships. When a child experiences this kind of pressure, it can even cause a great deal of damage to their brains, and might actually impair their learning capabilities and even lower their IQs.

If you think that only adults are dealing with stress, then think again. Most kids nowadays deals with a lot of stress, more than you can ever imagine.

Stress-triggering factors such as school-related activities, broken family, peer pressure, issues with friends, social isolation and confusion are common among today’s young generation.

According to Hank Pelliser, the director of the Brighter Brains Institute, “statistics suggest that American children are indeed experiencing stress at new levels: suicides among adolescents have quadrupled since the 1950s; only 36 percent of 7th graders agreed with the statement ‘I am happy with my life’; and in the past decade, using pharmaceuticals to treat emotional disorders has shot up 68 percent for girls, 30 percent for boys.”

Intense amounts of stress-inducing factors such as these can have detrimental effects towards the overall quality of their lives. So, how can we help our children to cope up with these kinds of stress?

Have a Heart-to-Heart Conversation With Your Child

When your child is dealing with a lot of stress in their lives, it is important to remind them that there’s always someone who could listen to them.

Oftentimes when we're depressed, even we, as adults, isolate ourselves from others thinking that no one would understand or listen to us. Listening to your child’s concern could help them feel more relieved and more open to express their feelings, which will help reduce their feeling of helplessness and self-pity.

Also, being open with your child might be a perfect opportunity for you to be aware of what they’re really going through. It will give you an opportunity to help your child address their issues.

Give Your Child Time To Relax

Is your child always dealing with stressful situations on a daily basis? Give them a chance to unwind by giving them the time to chill and relax. Something like a fun outing or a week of vacation can help them reduce stress and realign their thoughts.

Make Sure Your Child Gets Enough Sleep

Sleep deprived people are more susceptible to stress and anxiety, study suggests. Being unable to get enough sleep each night would have an adverse effect to their overall mood and mental clarity, which might mimic the feeling of depression and anxiety. Making sure that they’re always getting a sound sleep every night would be very beneficial for their overall mental health.

Let Your Child Engage in Physical Activities

Allowing your child to take part in physical activities such as sports could be very beneficial not only for their physical health, but also their mental health. Taking part in physically-engaging sports such as gymnastics can trigger the release of ‘endorphins’. These ‘feel good’ hormones can be beneficial for improving the overall mental clarity of mood of your child, and it may also help your child have a more positive outlook in life.

By enrolling your child to a physically-demanding sport such as gymnastics for kids, you can give them the opportunity to enjoy all the positive benefits your child can get from participating in the sport. Enroll today at Bianka Panova Sport and Art Academy and let your child enjoy a fun and exciting gymnastics training!

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