Children of all ages can get stressed about their school grades, homework, upcoming exams, building social relations, and others. Many things weigh on students’ might that can create anxiety and stress even before entering an Anaheim college.
Stress nowadays seems normal to everyone, but it is not always a bad thing. Students can use their stressors as motivation and encourage them to work harder or perform better during examinations. However, too much stress can also hurt a child’s ability to perform in school. It can impact their ability to focus, memorize and get good grades. For some students, stress can also lead to physical and mental health issues, low self-esteem, poor grades, and more stress.
There are different causes of stress for every student, but the impact is almost the same, especially in their academic performance. Here’s how you can help your child learn how to manage and reduce school stress.
Look Out for Signs of School-Related Stress
Watch out for signs that your child is overwhelmed with school, especially if there are plenty of projects, assignments, or upcoming examinations. They might procrastinate and become reluctant to attend class or experience headaches and stomach aches.
Identify The Cause of Their School Stress
If it seems like your child is frustrated and stressed at school, talk to them and figure out what is stressing them out. It could be due to an upcoming exam, a tough subject, or poor performance in class. Once you know what is causing their stress, you can work together to solve the issue.
Prioritize Tasks, But Avoid Over Scheduling
Some students work better and stay on track when there is a structured schedule. Structure works best when the students seem to have too much to do between home, school, responsibilities, and activities. However, taking too much on their schedule may also lead to anxiety and stress. Work out things with them to rank their activities according to importance. You may also use time management apps to avoid having an overbooked schedule. Make sure to have free time for them to do what they want. Having some downtime allows them to de-stress, recharge and relax.
Encourage Them to Join Extracurricular Activities
While students must have enough time to accomplish their school work, it is equally important that they get a break from academics to avoid feeling burnt out. Joining extracurricular activities or simply doing exercises can help them cope with school stress. It can be an excellent outlet for them to work off any frustration, anxiety, and stress.
Spend Time with Friends and Family
Amid busy schedules, everyone in the family will benefit from time spent together or with friends. Allow your child to connect with their friends or have some family bonding to ensure that they do not burn out. It can be as simple as having dinner together or playing some video games with friends. These are the times when you have the opportunity to ask kids how it’s going in school and for them to share their worries in class.
Stick to A Bedtime Routine
Sleep is essential for growing kids. Thus, you must ensure that they get enough, especially if they are feeling stressed out. Following a sleeping routine helps manage stress by having a cutoff time for school work and allowing them to relax and wind down. Ideally, your child should have at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night so that they will be rested and have enough energy for the following day.
Change Negative Thoughts into Positive Ones
Students become more stressed when they entertain negative thoughts. It can become a cycle, and the negativity becomes harder to break. Help your child think about ways of making the situation or school less stressful.
Set Realistic Goals
Having very high expectations can make students more anxious and stressed. Help them set realistic goals or chunk them into smaller, doable tasks. Finishing the small jobs can boost their performance and reduce the stress of school for them.
Speak With a School Counselor or Teacher
If your child is still feeling high school anxiety and stress levels, communicate with their teacher or the school counselor. Get more details about how your child behaves in class. Speaking with these people will help you find out about your child’s stressors and create solutions to tackle them.
Everyone is prone to feelings of anxiety and stress, even children and students. As parents, you play an essential role in managing stressful situations and succeeding over school challenges.
