Behaviours which may cause concern
- Decrease in enjoyment
- Increase in time spent alone
- Decrease in school performance
- Reluctance to attend school
- Problems with memory/concentration
- Problems sleeping/eating
- Aches and pains
- Anxious/tearful for long periods
- Aggression/temper tantrums
Causes
- School
- Fear of the unknown
- Exam stress
- Peer pressure
- Parental pressure
- Social media
As parents, what do we do wrong?
Take adversity away
Solve problems
Reinforce the problem
As parents, what can we do to help?
- Explain that feeling stressed is normal
- Label emotions
- Explain that a little pressure is good
- Allow them to experience failure
- Promote healthy risk taking
- Model appropriate behaviours
- Show that it’s ok to ask for help
- Encourage them to do things they would rather avoid
- Promote the bright side of things
Resilience
- Resilient children bounce back – they can cope
- Build resilience from a young age
- Allow opportunities to make decisions
- Make time to talk and listen
- Encourage mindfulness techniques
Further reading: www.heysigmund.com