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!

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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.

Symptoms of Stress in Children

Stress is one of the largest health issues in our country today, and is a leading contributor to many illnesses and diseases. In our fast-paced world, we tend to think of stress as an adult malady, related to long work hours and demanding jobs. But children are not immune to feeling the effects of stress. We often overlook the signs because we don’t expect to see it. If you suspect that something is wrong with your child, here are some of the symptoms.

Symptoms of Stress (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is not a myth that kids suffer from stress. Think of all that they have to deal with: classwork, school activities, bullying, hectic sports schedules, and the general stresses of growing up. Going through the changes that occur with each age level can bring about enough anxiety to lead to stress in children.

Remember back to your childhood. What did you worry about? Many of the issues you dealt with may not have even involved books but friends, self-image and the opposite sex.

Here are some ways to recognize stress in kids.

Symptoms of Stress in Children

* Irritability – When kids have a hard time figuring things out it can lead to frustration. This may show itself in the simplest of tasks at home. After only one try, they may throw their toy or project aside and storm off.

* Sleeplessness – Your child may wake up early in the morning or come to the breakfast table with dark circles around their eyes. This is more than likely not because they are staying up to play video games, but because stress is leading to insomnia. Another symptom of sleeplessness could be an increased incidence of nightmares.

* Change in appetite – Kids love to eat. If your child is showing less than their usual interest in meals or they skip meals due to a stomach ache it could be stress related.

* Withdrawal – Stress can lead to a withdrawal from friends or pleasurable activities. Kids rarely stay inside if they have a good reason to be outside.

* Dropping grades – This is almost a sure sign that something has changed especially if your child is used to gaining high marks. Talking to a teacher may shed some light on the cause. Also, check their book bag for hidden test papers with low grades that they may have been keeping from you.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Whining – Kids may do some of that but as they assert their independence, less and less is exhibited. A child who seems needier than normal could have a stress issue.

* Mood swings – Kids experience these too. A generally happy child may become angry or manic for no reason. If the change continues to occur, they may be overwhelmed in some area of their lives.

Children are people pleasers. They do not want to disappoint parents or their teachers. Trying to live up to expectations placed on them can be a catalyst for stress. Talk to your child. Assure them that you want to help them avoid stress as much as possible. Check back Thursday for some tips for helping your child deal with stress in a positive manner.