Many childcare professionals have become concerned about the increased levels of stress they are seeing in children.  A negative emotional atmosphere can adversely affect children.  If adults let themselves get angry the messages they send to children are unhappiness, danger, and lack of control.

Infants: Children’s Stress – Researchers have found that adults have a compelling effect on children starting when they are infants.  Because infants can’t communicate their reactions to what they see and hear, many adults think that they are too young to understand.  Adults often think what they say or do will not have a significant impact on them.

Toddlers: Stress Indicators and Strategies – Children, particularly infants and toddlers, who are not very verbal, are very sensitive to their environment and notice when adults are angry or upset.  Stressed children often overreact and argue.  Usually they are very emotional.  Some suffer from nightmares or have trouble sleeping.  Others keep their emotions inside and complain about stomachaches and headaches.  The following are some strategies for dealing with stress.  (1) The soothing approach: music, quiet time together, low lights, and lots of hugging.  (2) The active approach: wear them out by  using physically exhausting activities such as running games and exercises.  (3) Make rules: lack of rules and routines cause stress.  There should be home rules and school rules.  (4) Appropriate choices: don’t give children choices that are not age appropriate or too many appropriate choices.  Toddlers can usually only handle two choices.

Preschoolers:  Positive Coping Behaviors – Stress occurs when needs are not being met.  Once a child’s basic needs are met, adults can focus their energies on the child’s emotional security, and attempt to establish a safe dependable climate of belonging and self-esteem.  The following are positive behaviors to help children cope with stress.

1.   Show affection: Use physical contact like a hug, a smile, or a pat on the head.

2.   Express pride: Tell children in words when your proud about what they are doing.

3.   Share feelings: Tell children when you are happy and disappointed.

4.   Eat Together: A family that eats together usually talks more with each other.

5.   Avoid ridiculing: Don’t shame children.  It destroys their self esteem.

6.   Acceptable behavior: Help children find safe ways to express themselves.

7.   Listen: Learn to listen with an open mind to children without judging them.

8.   Make praise specific:  Compliment the activity not the child.

9.   Provide alternatives: Help children make appropriate choices.

10. Set goals and limits: Help children set reasonable goals and expectations.

11. Logical consequences: Help children understand consequences of their behavior.

12. Trust and respect:  Try to always do what you say and keep your promises.

13. Be a good role model: Children will do what you do.

Teach children to work as a TEAM “Together Everyone Achieves More.”