-By Magdalena Ondrasova
It is important to know that even toddlers can become distressed if, for example, they sense a parent’s stress or anxiety. The causes of stress in children can range from separation anxiety and for older children it could be hearing about something scary in the news.
Novella Ruffin, an Extension Child Development Specialist at Virginia State University, says that children experience extreme stress and have bad feelings just like adults. But children lack the skills or means to understand and manage their stress. They rely on their parents and other adults to help them.
Signs of stress in your child can manifest in behavior changes such as mood swings, clinginess or physical changes such as stomach aches and headaches.
One way to help your children manage their stress is to have a family storytelling session every evening. You can pick an area where everyone would feel comfortable. For example, it could be at the dinner table or in the living room.
You may start off slowly just by talking to your children; ask them questions about their day. As they become more comfortable you can begin making up a story yourself. You can encourage the children to join in by getting them to pick up the story where you’ve left off. You will learn things about your children by listening closely to their stories. Make positive comments and accept the story for what it is and enjoy.
