In a recent interview for CBC, psychiarist and best selling author Dr. Shimi Kang urged parents to be on look out for the physical and mental warning signs that hint stress in school kids.
Dr. Kang said that kids do not normally share their fears and stress with their parents. In fact, kids who are anxious about peer pressure and academic performance do not see their parents on list of people whom they will share their stresses with.
In addition to this, she said that refusal to go to school is an indicator of school stress.
Malaise which may include frequent headache, unexplained fatigue and stomach pains are among the physical indications of school related stress. Dr. Kang further explains that a child who is often cranky, grumpy, touchy and angry, and who often has meltdowns even in the most unusual things should alert his or her parents.
Kids Help Phone, a Canadian bilingual phone counselling service for school kids and their parents, reported that the majority of concerns their callers seek advise for has a lot to do with stress management than academic malperformance.
Becoming sensitive to school-related stress in children is just a start for parents. Identifying the stressors is another thing and eliminating the stressors is yet another.
For kids who are coming to a new school, the upcoming change in environment, the anxiety of making friends can be the most apparent stressors. The same is for kids who has lost a family member or whose family has undergone some tough times.
However, for those who show sudden stress and unwillingness to go to school or unusual loss of interest help maybe needed right off.
In general, Dr. Kang has suggested that preparing one's child for the upcoming school year is essential in eliminating unnecessary stress and anxiety. For instance, developing sleeping patterns that will prepare a child for the earlier waking hours once school begins is a good start. This will be effective since academic malperformance and lack of learning interest is often linked to sleepiness in class.