Top 7 Tips to Reduce School-Related Stress Naturally

At school we learn to read, write and do math. But it’s not always easy. School can also be a source of stress. If this is true in your child's life, try some of these tips.

It is a common misconception that you have to be an adult to experience stress. Stress is our reaction to situations in life that create anxiety or pressure, and it can happen at any age.

Stress at school is not just academic, however. Kids have to maintain their studies while participating in school activities, sports, working and nurturing friendships. It can be a tough load if you don’t know how to handle it. Many adults don’t have to juggle that much on a daily basis!

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Tips to Help Your Kids Manage Stress Naturally

1. Stay organized – From the beginning of the school year, make sure that your child is staying on top of their homework and other assignments. Keep a separate notebook for each class so nothing gets lost or misplaced.

2. Start early – If your child has a project due in three weeks, waiting until the last week could pose a time crunch, especially if other assignments are also due around that time. If you teach your kids to work on the project early while they have time, you can address any obstacles they might face and help them finish early. This can reduce the amount of worry your child has to deal with.

3. Study a little each day – One common way that many kids study is cramming. Sure, you will have all of your knowledge in your head for the exam but it will evaporate afterwards. That just means it will be harder to study for the next test if it builds on the information he or she has already learned. Instead, advise your child to read over their notes each night so that the information is still fresh in their mind.

4. Talk to your child – When kids get stressed it helps to get them talking. Voicing your concerns allows others to offer suggestions for solving them. Armed with solutions, your child can better cope with whatever comes their way throughout the day. You can also build good habits of communication in your children, which will serve them well throughout their lives.

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5. Get a good night’s sleep – Sleep is a hard task for many students. With all of their activities, sleep time is usually cut short. Over time, lack of sleep can increase stress levels by decreasing concentration and memory retention. Try to set a specific bedtime each night so that they get at least eight to ten hours of sleep.

6. Enlist the help of others – If your child is having trouble in a subject, find a tutor. Getting help at the beginning can avoid homework and exam stress.

7. Limit after-school activities – Colleges want to see well-rounded applicants, but too many activities can be counterproductive, causing stress, lack of sleep, and lowered academic performance. Choose a couple of things that your child enjoys and concentrate on increasing participation and taking advantage of leadership opportunities in that activity instead of increasing the number of activities.

School can be just as stressful as work in the adult world. These tips will help your child avoid stress during the school year, without resulting to drugs which can damage a growing child's system, and they are also great learned skills that they can use throughout adulthood as well.