Today nobody is protected from stress, even children. They experience stress due to various reasons: one of which are connected with age period, others with family relations. Parents should teach children coping with stress. Adults should not leave kids face to face with the problem, as children that are emotionally isolated, not getting parental support and diffident cannot cope with stressful situation and overcome it till the end.

Stress and children preschool age. Children preschool age are in extreme need of parental love and support. They still hardly can control their life and have no skills to solve problems coming into their children’s world from adult’s life.

Most typical stressful situation for them: change in a day regimen, coming to a kindergarten, appearance of a new baby in a family, necessity to observe discipline rules in an infant school, longer separation from parents during a day. Children preschool age also start fearing loneliness, and sometimes hunger. These are results of stress.

Following signs will help you learning your child is feeling stress: heightened irritability and exactingness, nightmares, reduction of activity, more frequent whims and tears.

How you can help. Help a kind understanding the situation in a simple language, comprehensible for him. Try to prompt your kind telling you about his fears (for example, “I’m afraid of entering a dark room” or “I’m afraid of a barking dog”) and not being afraid you tell him he’s stupid. You also should stay calm during “worsening”, i.e. when a child starts playing up. This will give him self-reliance and feeling of safety. Do not forget showing as much love and tenderness to your child as you can.
If you fail coping with the situation by yourself, apply for a specialist.

Stress and children from 6 to 12 years. At this age children should manage pressure at home and school. Typical stressful situations: tests, pressure concerning progress, new friends, envy, complexes concerning their appearance and mental facilities, constant competition with someone in a game or elder brothers and sisters, criticism, quarrels with parents and friends, age changes in constitution, coevals’ reluctance to communicate, feeling of embarrassment.

Signs of stress: development decrease, a child stops becoming adult, sleep disorders, speech problems, detachment, petulance, trickery, aggressive behavior towards other people.

How to help a child coping with stress. Be understanding parents. Encourage a child to try solving the situation. Help him understanding things he failed to understand in his problem. Encourage his address to you, if he has a problem. A child should not become unsociable, he should talk about his problems. On no account press down on a child, comparing him with some other kid….