The school year brings on an amazing level of stress for our kids. It especially escalates in the Spring time when many kids are dealing with standardized tests, their first semester grades, and overall school burnout. Your probably see a change in your kids when they are stressed, so, like most parents, you buckle up for the bumpy ride.
All of us get stressed, right? So why is it such a big deal?!? Most students these days are not experiencing short bursts of stress that their bodies or built for. They are marinating in the chemicals of stress for extended periods of time. Their developing bodies are definitely not built for this, and the physical and emotional side-effects are devastating and can cause permanent changes in their bodies.
The list is long so let’s boil it down to the top side-effects:
- Smaller hippocampus (which controls learning and new memory storage)
- Bigger amygdala (which spits out emotions)
- Gray matter shrinkage (leads to cognitive and emotional impairment)
- Immune system dysfunction
Most of these signs aren’t even visible so here’s a few that you CAN see:
- Chronic fatigue/insomnia
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Stomach issues
- Unexplained physical pains
- Constant sickness
If you suspect your child is stressed to the max, it’s time to step up the parental support system. Don’t give into the idea that “teens are stressed these days and that’s just the way it is”. Guide your child to make changes to cope with or decrease stress.
Teach them coping skills such as meditation, exercise, or journaling. Collaboratively, adjust their extra-curricular activities to allow for more time to get tasks completed and more time for self-care. Also, together take a look at their academic course load to evaluate the number of accelerated classes and corresponding homework load.
This is a time in your child’s life when they are learning the power of taking charge of their most valuable resource: time. You can be their guide and their role model by paying attention to the signs and symptoms of stress, recognizing changes that need to be made, and facilitating those changes. You will be making a powerful statement to your child that their overall well-being is much more important than grades or achievements.
With Heart,
Coach Sheri
Get the latest updates on our Facebook Community, Click HERE to Join.
