Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Stress is something that we all live with but it’s not something that you often associate with children. But, the fact is that stress affects everyone, including your children.
In the past stress, which is the release of cortisol in your body, was a necessary response, it prepared your body to fight or run away. In the modern world, the stress reaction can be triggered many times every day, even a meeting with your boss can be stressful.
In effect, stress is simply the body responding to a fear of the unknown, and that’s something that children experience a lot.
You’ll know your child is stressed if they start displaying the following symptoms:
- Lack of appetite
- Headache that doesn’t go
- Bedwetting that hasn’t been an issue before
- Inability to sleep properly
- Stomach pain
In fact, one of the biggest causes of stress for many children is the process of going to school and learning, there are so many unknowns! That’s why you need to ensure you check out the childcare providers on offer carefully. Reputable businesses like childcare Pakenham can help to create the right environment for your child and reduce their stress levels.
Here are a few ways in which they can do this:
Playtime
Young children learn best through play and repetition. This is also a great opportunity to reduce the stress that they experience in a school setting.
But, it’s more than just letting the children play. Recent research shows that one-on-one play makes a real difference to the level of stress felt by children. The reason is surprisingly obvious, one-on-one time helps any child to feel loved, needed, and safe. This removes the fear, reducing the stress, and allowing them to flourish.
If you think that this isn’t something you need to worry about because you love your child, then consider the fact that approximately 61% of children are in formal childcare before the age of 5. This places them under stress and can lead to disruptive behavior in the classroom. That’s not an encouraging start to their education.
Predictability
It’s also important to create a schedule and stick to it. Of course, you need time to be spontaneous and encourage free play. But, it is also important to create a schedule that allows a young child to know what is going to happen next. This will help them to feel comfortable and safe, which will reduce their stress levels.
Observation
But, perhaps the most powerful tool available to any teacher is simply observing the children. By getting to know each child the teacher will be able to identify what they are passionate about and will then be able to tell when something is not right with the child.
This will allow them to react quickly and tackle the issue. Not only will this help the child to resolve the issue, but it will also reduce their stress and improve their confidence in the school environment, the teachers, and even in themselves.
