You do everything you can to help life go smoothly for your kids, but, just like adults, kids experience stress.
Where Childhood Stress Comes From–And Why It Matters
We feel stressed when we feel like we lack the resources or skills to meet all the demands placed on us. Since kids don’t usually pay bills, go to work, or worry about whether or not you’re raising them right, you might think they don’t have a lot to worry about. In reality, however, your kids stress about many of the same things you do. They may feel overscheduled and wish they had more free time. Making or maintaining friendships might make them feel uncomfortable. Sometimes, they might even be stressed simply because you’re stressed.
High stress levels can weaken your kid’s immune system, slow down their digestive systems, and cause nightmares and bedwetting. The coping mechanisms they develop during childhood will stick with them for the rest of their lives, so it’s important they learn how to handle stress in healthy ways.
Regardless of the sources and symptoms of childhood stress, there are a few simple things that can help kids (and you) cope better.
5 Ways To Decrease Childhood Stress:
- Get Active. Exercise releases endorphins, helps remove toxins from your brain and body, improves self-confidence, and increases your energy levels. For kids, the best exercise is active play. Let them climb, run, jump, and spin (and for part of that, you’re welcome to bring them to our indoor playground).
- Talk it out. Often, just feeling that they are listened to and understood helps children to destress. For children old enough to write, you might encourage them to keep a journal where they record their feelings (which can also help them pinpoint what exactly is stressing them out.) For younger children, it might be helpful to draw pictures.
- Let them use their imaginations. Nothing makes stress worse than constantly dwelling on it. Help kids get out of their heads with storytelling, reading, or puzzles.
- Teach them how to relax. Knowing how to take a break and really let go of the things that are bothering you for a few minutes is one of the most useful skills a person can learn. You might try simple yoga exercises with your kids, have them take a bubble bath,
- Put them to bed earlier. Besides giving our bodies the rest they need to deal with daily demands, sleep also gives our brains time to process our situations. Sometimes, you really can just sleep it off.
These are our favorite tried and true destressors for kids. Feel free to try them out on yourself, too, and remember: don’t stress over childhood stress!
Sources:
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/neuroscience-in-everyday-life/201806/childhood-stress-increases-vulnerability-disease
- https://www.activekids.com/parenting-and-family/articles/13-stress-relief-tips-for-kids
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/stress
- https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/health-and-community/enewsletter/how-kids-experience-stress
- https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stress.html
- https://www.nationaljewish.org/health-insights/stress-and-relaxation/stress/coping-strategies
About Coconut Cove
Coconut Cove is Utah’s best indoor playground, family amusement center, or family recreation center for young families with children under age 12. The playground has dozens of “play events” for young children, including trampolines, ball cannons, a ball fountain, spiral slides, giant racing wavy slides, crawl tunnels, mirrors, bridges, stepping stones, a toddler area, and birthday party rooms made out of large Lego blocks. At Coconut Cove we believe in getting kids off of screens or arcades and participating in Active Play. Coconut Cove prides itself on being safe, clean, sanitary, and affordable! It has plenty of seating for adults and fun entertainment for children. It is a great place for kids birthday parties, mommy play dates, or for families to just come and have fun! If you are looking for fun activities for kids in Utah, come to Coconut Cove!