Good Parenting

Everyone has stress in their lives, even children. More and more children are exposed to things once considered for adults only – death, sex, alcohol, profanity, and violence. Childhood innocence is almost nonexistent. The accessibility of violence and sex on television during peak hours of the day, INTERNET access in almost every home, and a lack of adult supervision has contributed to higher stress levels in our children.

It is easy to dismiss stress in our children. Many would ask, what do they have to be stressed about? Do they have to worry about paying bills, putting food on the table, going to a job everyday? No. They worry about wearing the right brand of clothing, being a part of the right group in school, some worry about grades, getting into a good college, and many worry about if anyone likes them. But, they feel the pressure of their peer groups and fitting in. Following your own path, is not as important as following the crowd. This sadly, applies to almost all age groups – from elementary to high school.

The stress of passing a test in school can be very high for many children. I am sure that many of you are aware or have experienced the difficulties of test taking. Some people are more naturally stressed when taking a test. A good teacher helps his/her students to get through test with little or no stress involved. There are many proven techniques that can be applied to virtually eliminate stress during testing periods. If your child suffers from test stress, consult with their teacher(s) for advice.

Another high area of stress for young people is fitting in with their peers. When I was raising my daughter, I told her that it wasn’t important to be a part of the crowd. She needed to find her own way and not worry about what others around her were doing. Too many young people are followers and not leaders. They are afraid to show their positive abilities. Make your young person proud of who they are and what they can do. Don’t let them live in fear of others.

Some children live in fear of the neighborhood they live in. Years ago, we knew our neighbors and all the kids on the block would play together. Today, with the changing family, few people know everyone in the neighborhood or anyone in the neighborhood. We tell our children don’t talk to strangers. But not all strangers are bad people. Most children who are molested, are molested by someone they or their family are familiar with. I’m not suggesting the you shouldn’t tell your child to not talk to strangers. Just be aware of how this might cause stress to your child. Find out who your neighbors are, have a neighborhood greet and meet. You might be surprised that you actually have things in common.

Unfortunately, our children are now being exposed to more dangerous issues. Children are under more and more pressure from many different outside forces, their friends, school, family and personal relationships. Keep tabs on your children. Get involved with their lives. Get to know their friends, volunteer at their school, and do things as a family. The more you are involved with your children and their lives, the less stress your children will have. Be present and active in your young persons world.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm and is filed under Good Parenting.