As adults (and teachers), we think of childhood as an idyllic time. We think kids should be happy and carefree, with nothing more to worry about than melting ice cream and the fireflies that got away. While that may partially be true, it's no longer the case for many kids.

Today's kids face many stressful situations that their adult counterparts didn't have to deal with as children. If we're honest with ourselves, we've forgotten some of the stress we faced as kids. As teachers, childhood stress seems overstated, and we brush it off as something that will pass. Should that really be the case?

Even very young children have worries and feel stress to some degree. It is the result of perceived or real expectations placed on them from outside sources and their ability to meet these expectations. Stress can affect learning outcomes and social development and can lead to problems in a child's adult life if not acknowledged and resolved.

The results of a survey conducted by KidsHealth^® KidsPoll can give us some insights. When asked, kids said their biggest sources of stress are the following:

• Grades, school, and homework - 36%
• Family - 32%
• Friends, peers, gossip, and teasing - 21%.

According to this poll, "About 25% of the kids surveyed said that when they are upset, they take it out on themselves, either by banging their heads against something, hitting or biting themselves, or doing something else to hurt themselves. These kids also were more likely to have other unhealthy coping strategies, such as eating, losing their tempers, and keeping problems to themselves."

For some kids, feelings of stress, frustration, helplessness, hurt, or anger can be overwhelming. Without the tools to deal with their stress, they may react in harmful ways that don't get to the source of the problem.

In many cases, teachers spend more hours a day with children than many of the parents do. They are in a unique position to identify children who may be feeling an oppressive amount of stress. The following are some symptoms* that are experienced by children who are feeling stress:

1. Physical - headaches, stomach aches, vomiting, wetting
2. Emotional - fear, irritability, sadness
3. Behavioral - crying, nervous tics, losing temper
4. Interactions with others - withdrawing, teasing and bullying, extreme shyness

What can you do to help your students cope with stress?*

1. Teach students to pray and ask God for help. Explain how God cares for each person and wants to hear both our happy and sad feelings. Most stress comes from doubt in God's ability to control the situation.

2. Help your students talk about what's bothering them. Offer each child a few minutes of one-on-one time each day to talk about their feelings.

3. Provide time for physical activity. Try to build it into teaching time. Encourage healthy eating.

4. Teach relaxation skills such as remembering and imagining pleasant situations or experiences.

5. Use gentle, appropriate touch. It's a powerful stress reliever.

6. Teach your students that mistakes are okay and admit it when you make a mistake.

7. Be clear about rules and consequences. Always follow through but be sure you have the facts first.

8. Teach ways of handling difficult situations with talk and role play.

9. Tell or read stories to kids about dealing with stress.

10. Be a role model by handling your stress as a teacher in a healthy way.

Competition for grades, popularity, and approval create stressful situations for kids at school and at home. Be sure you're doing what you can to alleviate stress and support not only the academic success, but the spiritual and emotional well-being of every student in your classroom.

What stress relievers do you share with your students? Do you students understand that God is the best stress reliever?


*Adapted from Taking Charge of Stress, Iowa State University Extension