Managing Stress at School 2022
Managing Stress at School
Young people, like adults, experience stress, which may stem from a variety of sources including doing well in school, making, and sustaining friendships, or managing perceived expectations from their parents, teachers, or coaches. Some stress can be positive in that it provides the energy to tackle a big test, presentation, or sports event, but too much stress, however, is overwhelming and can create unnecessary hardship. Tuning into emotional or behavioural cues is important in identifying potential problems.
The stress that COVID-19 placed upon learners
Many learners are already facing challenges that can be stressful and overwhelming, which increased because of the COVID19 pandemic, therefore it is important for learners to learn how to cope with this new set of stressful and overwhelming challenges.
Helping learners manage stress
Unlike adults, who can communicate about how stress impacts their lives, children may not recognise how they’re feeling. Here are some strategies teachers, parents or caregivers can use to help.
· Limit homework overload. Teachers can work together as a team to avoid piling on too much homework on the same nights.
· Keep kids moving. No matter how old learners are they can benefit from moving around the room.
· Don’t over schedule. Research suggests that children need time to decompress and develop naturally through non-goal related activities.
· Ensure the right amount of sleep. While it’s true that sleep needs vary from one person to another, there are some very reasonable guidelines to help you determine whether a child is getting the sleep they need.
Sources of stress in children
Children suffer from stress even more than adults do, in addition to minor aggravations like running late or having a bad hair day, kids (like the rest of us) must cope with major life events. These events don’t have to be negative to be stressful. Remember: the key component to stress is change, especially big changes in their daily routines or lives, such as divorce or relocation.
Recent studies show that stress levels in children have been increasing over the past decades. This is mainly due to the vast number of accomplishments they are expected to achieve and the pressure to compete with other kids successfully. Being unsuccessful has become a taboo, generating a deep-set feeling of inadequacy in kids.
Thanks to the 24-hour news cycle and constant connectivity, kids are exposed at a much younger age to terrifying news stories. And today’s young people see more than their share of violence and adult sexuality packaged as entertainment, often without their parents present, thanks to smartphones and tablets. And the use of electronic devices is skyrocketing.
It is important to adopt healthy habits such as exercise and self-care to manage your own stress in healthy ways. If you are struggling to manage your stress levels, do not hesitate to talk to us.
