Stress is a common factor in our everyday lives, especially right now. As the global pandemic, we’re in rages on, redefining our concept of normalcy, our kids are struggling to make sense of it all just as much as we are. Stressors don’t have to be as huge and abstract as global events, however. Kids encounter all kinds of stress as a simple product of growing up.

Common Stressors for Kids

Everyone experiences stress from different sources in their lives. A few examples of common stressors kids may experience include:

• Concerns about schoolwork and grades

• Trying to balance too many responsibilities, like school, chores, and extracurricular activities

• Being bullied or having conflicts with friends

• Changes in housing such as moving or eviction

• Developing a negative self-image

• Growing pains and puberty

• Major events or problems concerning parents or guardians, such as divorce, illness, neglect, abuse, etc.

• Financial issues in the family

• Loss of a family member or friend

Signs Your Child’s Stress Levels are High

A survey conducted by WebMD found that 72% of parents reported an increase in behaviors indicating stress in their kids in the last twelve months. It’s important to know what those signs are, so you can monitor your child’s stress and help them cope with and resolve it.

What Can I Do to Help My Child Relax?

Here are some of Wondrfly’s top activity recommendations for kids who need to beat stress. All these activities defend against and prevent stress by promoting mindfulness and assisting the brain to create mood-regulating chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.

Family Routines

Having a reliable schedule comforts kids and gives them a sense of security, allowing them to stress less. Designate different family activities for different days of the week. One night you might cook a family meal together, another you could designate some device-free discussion time over dinner. Family movie nights, indoor camping, scavenger hunts, backyard sports, and art nights are just a few of the activities you might plan on doing together at the same time each week.

Journaling and Gratitude

The benefits of journaling for kids abound, from incentivizing writing to helping them process difficult emotions. Learning to identify and deal with these emotions will help them become more resilient in the face of future stressors. If your child is more interested in the visual arts than writing, they can even create a scrapbook. Either way, they’ll have a mindful and expressive outlet to help them cope with their feelings. Practicing gratitude is something that can be done in many ways, and each person has their own individual rituals for cultivating gratitude. Your child should develop these rituals at a young age to maximize their ability to stay positive and care for themselves emotionally.

Exercise

Any activity that raises the heart rate releases endorphins, which improve mood and boost energy! Plus, the more in touch with their body your child is, the easier it is for them to learn to mitigate the physical effects of stress and anxiety. There are tons of ways to incentivize exercise for your child, like signing them up for a sport they’re interested in. Whether it’s tennis, badminton, soccer, or cheer, you’re bound to find something that interests them.

If you’re looking for sports and fitness activities for kidsin the Jersey City/Hoboken area, check out Wondrfly. We’re here to make your activity search and discovery as simple and seamless as possible.