24/7: A Resource For Working Parents
Kids Have Stress Too
We often think of stress as something that happens to busy adults with lots of responsibilities and problems. But even young children experience stress. Stress is a normal part of life. It’s our brain and body’s response to both positive and negative challenges. However, too much negative stress, for too long, can contribute to children’s behaviour and mood problems:
• anxiety, sadness or irritability
• tantrums or other acting out behaviours
• problems with school, social functioning, sleep or even physical health
• learning problems at school
In fact, many of the everyday parenting issues that cause stress for parents are either caused, or made worse, by excess stress that is affecting children.