How to identify signs of stress in my children?

We usually believe that children are immune to the anxiety and stress that is so common in adults, since they are not subjected to the same pressures.

However, the fact that they do not have the same pressures as an adult does not imply that they do not have pressures at all.

Stress is also common in children, since they can go through situations that generate changes in their lives that cause them concern.

It is common in children who are in changing or conflictive environments with high levels of stress that as parents we must teach them to regulate.

What is stress?

It is a physiological response that the body has in situations that are perceived as threatening in order to defend itself.

Stress is the way in which our body reacts to challenges, stressful events make the body respond from the sympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our fight or flight impulse.

For our body it is a great expenditure of energy to keep us in this state, so the parasympathetic system tries to return the body to its regular balance.

Due to this, large amounts of prolonged stress are harmful to both our health and that of our children.

How does it manifest itself in children?

Children can also be quite stressed by the events of their daily lives, to help our children we must first recognize what are the signs that it manifests when it is stressed.

On many occasions, children do not recognize that what they feel is stress, so it is important as adults to help them identify the signs themselves and then teach them to regulate them.

Among the conditions in which children are usually stressed are homework, fights or divorces between parents or sudden change in environment.

Some signs derived from stress can be:

• Loss of appetite or other changes in your diet

• Headaches

• Peeing in bed after that stage

• Nightmares

• Changes in sleep cycles

• Stomach aches

• Any other physical pain or discomfort not related to a physical illness

• Anxiety

• Difficulty relaxing

• Constant or persistent fears

• Not wanting to separate from adults

• Irritability

• Easy cry

• Difficulty calming your emotions

• Aggressiveness

• Behavior of previous stages

• Disgust at the request to participate in family or school activities

The temperament of children will significantly influence how they face their emotions, some children may be more sensitive than others to the same situation.

Help your child to identify his emotions and validate his experience.

How can I help my children cope with stress?

Provide your child with a safe, healthy and calm space in which he can develop and express his emotions.

Routines are very good so that your child's environment is stable, and he can be aware of the expected events in his environment, likewise if you know that there will be any change, it is favorable that you communicate it before it occurs so that he can express how you feel about it and be prepared.

Family activities that strengthen your bond are wonderful for reducing stress in children.

To make this even more productive, select carefully what activity to do and if it is to watch a movie together for example make sure you know something that your child likes.

You can even involve him in choosing the activity to empower him and make him feel in control of himself. Ensuring a space for relaxation and fun is beneficial for all members of the family.

In this sense, physical activity is also fantastic to relieve everyone's tensions and teach your child the importance of it in their life routine.

Another thing we can do for our children when they feel stressed is to listen carefully, get involved in what your child is saying, try to understand it and give it importance.

So your child will feel that he is important and at the same time then you will be reinforcing his self-esteem, try to use reinforcement and not punishment when teaching your child.

Set an example for your child, keep your stress under control and teach your child how emotions are regulated, name them together to identify and accept them.

This way they will be able to know what are the signs of stress and you as a parent to be cautious in the face of these events.

If necessary, do not hesitate to contact a mental health professional, sometimes children can have high levels of stress that are harmful to their development.