STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Description

Participants will explore contemporary stresses that children face in the

context of overall child development in infant/toddler and pre-school
environments and Primary grade classrooms. Through readings,
shared inquiry, discussion, and speaker presentations, we will
examine what we as caring adults can do to help children, and those
who work with them, to cope with stress.

Together we will study about and discuss this timely issue, sharing our
own areas of expertise and experiences and critically examine the current
research literature, as well as practical advice and resources available to
the various professionals who work with or for children.

Objectives:

Participants will have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the

following:

1. How to recognise signs of stress in oneself, other adults, and in

children.

2. The implications of short-term and long term stress on children as

well as the adults who work with them.

3. The implications of child and adult stress on learning environments.

4. Common stresses which affect children in our contemporary society

(e.g., divorce, abuse, poverty unemployment, studies, peers, etc.).

5. How to create more "therapeutic" or lower stress environments in

which healthy growth, development and learning can occur for all
children in a group.

6. The concept of resilience and the controversy surrounding it.

7. Strategies for helping those who work with and care for children
cope with the stress in their lives.

8. Resources that are currently available for helping children, families,

and those who work with children deal with stress.

9. How to be better advocates for children, families, and those who

work with them.
 : Do children suffer from stress?

A: The short answer is yes and is something that adults should learn

to recognise.

Children are affected by stress, just as are adults, but the mechanisms of
the effects are not necessarily the same.

Children, for example, may be subject to stress from the family directly,
and clearly, children may experience work- related stress through its
effects on the family, but they themselves cannot directly experience the
stresses generated in the workplace.

For them, however, there will undoubtedly be stress from the school they
attend.

Children's coping strategies are likely to be less sophisticated than adults,

due to a lack of experience of the world. The effects of stress on children
is a topic which as yet is relatively unexplored and is worthy of a carefully
considered approach, as current explanations of perceived pupil miss-
behaviour tend to focus on events in the child itself and not externally
defined criteria which may bring about such changes.

We will look at the effects of stress on children developmentally, i.e. from

birth through to adolescence and to make some form of assessment as to
how children's stress may be reduced.

CHILD STRESS

As providers and caretakers, adults tend to view the world of children as

happy and carefree. After all, kids don't have jobs to keep or bills to pay,
so what could they possibly have to worry about?

Plenty! Even very young children have worries and feel stress to some
degree. Stress is a function of the demands placed on us and our ability
(or sometimes our perceived ability) to meet them.

Stress is the body's physical, chemical, and emotional reaction to an

overwhelming, confusing, or exciting situation. Children of all ages can
experience stress, but how they respond to it depends on their age,
temperament, and family environment, says Ellen Perrin, MD, FAAP,
professor of paediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre
in Boston.
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about stress in
children, and information about how you can help your child:

Sources of Childhood Stress

Pressures often come from outside sources (such as family, friends, or

school), but they can also come from within. The pressure we place on
ourselves can be most significant because there is often a discrepancy
between what we think we ought to be doing and what we are actually
doing in our lives.

Recognising Symptoms of Stress

It's not always easy to recognise when your child is stressed out. Short-
term behavioural changes, such as mood swings, acting out, changes in
sleep patterns, or bedwetting, can be indicators of stress. Some children
experience physical effects, including stomach aches and headaches.
Others have trouble concentrating or completing schoolwork. Still others
become withdrawn or spend a lot of time alone. Younger children may
show signs of reacting to stress by picking up new habits like thumb
sucking, hair twirling, or nose picking; older children may begin to lie,
bully, or defy authority. A child who is stressed out may also have
nightmares, difficulty leaving you, overreactions to minor problems, and
drastic changes in academic performance.
Reducing Your Child's Stress

How can you help your child cope with stress? Proper rest and good
nutrition can help increase your child's skills, as can good parenting. Make
time for your child each day. Whether he or she needs to talk or just be in
the same room with you, make yourself available. Even as your child gets
older, this "quality time" is important. It's really hard for some people to
come home after work, get down on the floor, and play with their kids or
just talk to them about their day - especially if they've had a stressful day
themselves. But by showing interest in your child's life, regardless of your
child's age, you're showing your child that he or she is important to you.

Help your child cope with stress by talking with him or her about what
may be causing it. Together, you can come up with a few solutions. Some
possibilities are cutting back on after-school activities, spending more
time talking with parents or teachers, developing an exercise regimen, or
keeping a journal.

You can also help your child by anticipating potentially stressful situations
and preparing him or her for them. For example, let your child know
ahead of time that there is a doctor appointment coming up and talk
about what will happen there.

Remember that some level of stress is normal; let your child know that it's
OK to feel angry, scared, lonely, or anxious. Let them knows that other
people share their feelings.

Working Through the Stress with Your Child

When children are unwilling or have trouble discussing these issues, it

may be helpful to talk with your child about your own concerns. This will
help your child see that you are willing to discuss these issues and allow
him or her to feel like he or she has someone to talk with when he or she
is ready. If your child continues to show symptoms that concern you and
is unwilling to talk, it might be helpful to see a counsellor or another type
of mental health care specialist.

What causes a child to experience stress?

Kids experience two different types of stress, says Bettie B. Youngs, PhD,
author of Stress and Your Child: Helping Kids Cope With the Strains and
Pressures of Life (Fawcett Columbine, 1995).

The first is normative stress, which occurs at different stages of a child's

development. Learning to walk, talk, use the toilet, and make friends can
be stressful for a child. But these are productive forms of anxiety in that
they help a child grow and become more independent.

The second kind of stress is life-change stress, and it's typically more
confusing and upsetting to children.

Events or situations that can trigger life-change stress include:

• Divorce: When parents divorce, or even when they fight, a child's

sense of security is threatened, making him feel alone and scared.

• Moving: Children who move from a familiar home, community,

school, or group of friends often have feelings of insecurity,
confusion, and anxiety.

• Death: Children are very confused by death, whether it's the death
of a family member, friend, or beloved pet. A child may feel that he
somehow caused the death, which can create a great deal of guilt
and stress.

• Activity overload: Running from school to athletic activities to music

lessons without taking time to relax can cause feelings of anxiety in
a child.
 • Peer pressure: what other children think and how they act can
influence Pre-schoolers and school-age children. Conforming to
these standards -- and not wanting to be different from others -- can
also cause children to feel anxious.

Can stress make my child sick?

An otherwise healthy child will not likely be made physically ill by

everyday sources of stress. But the immune systems of children who are
overly fatigued, deficient in key nutrients, or don't get enough exercise
may become weakened due to stress. In stressful situations these children
are more susceptible to illnesses, such as the common cold and the flu.

Make sure your child sleeps well, eats right, and gets a fair amount of
exercise. This will help ensure that her body is better equipped to handle
feelings of stress and ward off illnesses.

How do children deal with feelings of stress?

Children with a naturally calm temperament are better able to handle

change and stress, says Paula Elbirt, MD, FAAP, assistant professor of
paediatrics at Mt. Sinai Medical Centre in New York City. This doesn't
mean that these children never experience stress. They do. It just means
they're less likely to become overly agitated when a small change is made
in their routine.

Fittingly, calm kids tend to sprout from calm families. Because a child
mirrors her parents' behaviour, if a parent acts stressed, the child will
interpret this as an appropriate reaction in certain situations, says Dr.
Elbirt.

What can I do to reduce my child's stress?

There are several ways to prevent your child from becoming overly
stressed:

• Dry those tears. Be sure to hold your child when he cries. Babies
and children need to know that you're close at hand and available to
comfort them.

• Prepare your child for change. Tell your child in advance if any
changes will be occurring in his life. If he'll be starting pre-school, for
example, visit the school in advance, and help him acclimate to his
new surroundings. Or if you're going away on a business trip, be
 sure to explain where you'll be going and why. The more your child
knows the less confused and anxious she'll be.

• Establish and enforce rules and routines. Children need

structure in their lives, whether it's a regular bedtime, rules about
when to do homework, or scheduled times to spend with the family.
"Young children need predictable patterns so they don't feel
anxious," explains Dr. Elbirt.

• Keep your child well fed. Children who are deficient in the basic
nutrients may be more susceptible to experiencing stress than
children who eat a balanced diet experience. Be sure your child is
consuming appropriate portions from all the food groups and
minimal amounts of junk food, caffeine, and sugar.

• Reduce your own stress. Parents do a better job of being parents

when they're not stressed, says Dr. Perrin. It's not selfish for a
parent to take time out to deal with her own stress; it's very much
for the benefit of her child. Studies show that reducing caffeine
intake, exercising regularly, setting aside time for family and
friends, and taking time out to relax can all help alleviate a parent's
level of stress.

ACTIVITY WORKSHOP:

A. DRAW A PICTURE OF A CHILD AND A SNAKE INSIDE A BOX.

B. IF SOMEBODY ASKS YOU TO JUMP ON THE SIXTH FLOOR, ARE

YOU GOING TO JUMP OR NOT? (ANSWERABLE BY YES OR NO AND GIVE
THE REASON FOR YOUR ANSWER.)