Stress: Its very different for children

Think of stress and you will conjure up the life of an adult. Or at least a teenager.

But children experience stress as well.

Deadlines, finances, relationships and decision making can create stress. For a child, the world is still new and unpredictable. Their brains are learning how to interpret uncertainty, and their emotional vocabulary is only beginning to form.

What appears simple to an adult, such as meeting new classmates or finishing schoolwork, can feel overwhelming to a child.

They are yet to build both the mental framework and the vocabulary to explain themselves.

Adults typically process stress through accumulated experience. We recall past events to predict outcomes. We can reason our way through the experience. For example, when you say, “this too shall pass,” you are relying on experience.

A child has little history to lean on.

This lack of reference makes every setback feel absolute. Further adults understand emotions rise and fall. Children often cannot separate a momentary feeling from their sense of self.

When a child struggles with learning or peer pressure it is not just an event.

It becomes a question of their own worth.

So what can we do?

Helping children cope begins with presence. When you sit with a child who is upset without immediately offering solutions you teach them that emotions are safe.

They learn they do not need to run from discomfort. The next step is giving them language. Encourage them to name what they feel.

Naming reduces intensity by bringing the emotion into conscious awareness. Slow breathing helps their nervous system return to balance.

Even a few minutes of mindful attention to breathing can shift their internal state. Teaching a child how to breathe well, in my humble opinion, is more important than school.

Children also benefit from small routines that predict stability. A consistent bedtime ritual or a few minutes of quiet reflection teaches their brain to expect calm.

Finally, connection builds resilience. When a child knows they are heard and valued, their mind gradually learns to trust the world.

Stress becomes something they can navigate rather than something that overwhelms them.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain