Stress is the uncomfortable feeling you get when you are worried, scared, angry, frustrated or overwhelmed. Many adults think that stress is something that only adults have but children also have stress. Stress from disasters such as Imelda effect everyone. Particularly if you have also experience stress from Harvey.
Stress in childhood comes from many different sources. It may be from parents pushing their children to work harder on their schoolwork or sports activities. It may be from their friends exerting “peer pressure”. It may be from themselves with such pressures as “I need to lose weight or to get better grades”. It may also be from watching parents argue, worrying about the neighborhood or world problems or feeling guilty.
The body reacts to stress by releasing a chemical (hormone) that sends a signal to the nervous system to turn on its emergency system. This is a very important system that helps get us out of danger so that we can run faster, jump farther and climb trees faster. The same hormone is released with the “dangers” of exams, peer pressure, family problems or world calamities. This causes the “panicky” feeling of racing heart, heavy breathing and sweating as if you are running from danger.
These “panicky” feelings are uncomfortable and cause some people to turn to some harmful ways of dealing with stress so that they can feel better even if it very temporary. They are drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, bullying and fighting. These may make someone feel better for a short time but they can also mess up your life by making more stress.
Nobody can avoid all stress but there are ways that you can learn to deal with it. Dr. K. Ginsburg and M. Jablow in “A Parent’s Guide to Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving your Child Roots and Wings” have suggested methods to help to deal with stress.
They suggest that you figure out what the problem is and make it manageable. Break work into small pieces and do one small piece at a time. This makes it less overwhelming. Make lists of things you need to do and check them off as you finish. Explain to your children what the problem is, what other people are doing to help, what they can do to help solve the problem, and try not to watch media coverage of the event. Tape the coverage and review for information when the children are not watching. Parents and children do not benefit from graphic details or exposure to graphic details.
Save your energy for fixing the problems you can change. By helping your child identify the problems that are causing them to have stress you can help them learn how to make those problems more manageable. Giving each member of the family a task they can accomplish will help the family achieve their goal. Frequent conversations will help determine the shifting problems and positive reinforcement for jobs well done is appreciated by all ages.
Published 9/1/2019
Sally Robinson, MD Clinical Professor
Keeping Kids Healthy
Also See: UTMB Pediatrics - Pediatric Primary Care