Kids today are more stressed, overwhelmed, and struggling with anxiety than ever before. Children are not born with the coping strategies needed to navigate today’s increasing demands of technology, bullying, academics, and family dynamics. You as a parent, might wonder how your own stressed-out lifestyle is affecting your children. There are certain things that you can do to cheer up your child. Because it is your sole responsibility to give them a stress free and happy lifestyle.
Encourage your child to face fears, not run away from them. When we are afraid of situations, we avoid them. However, avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations maintains the anxiety. The anxiety reduces naturally on its own over a certain period of time if a child faces his or her fears. There is a system in the body that calms it down, body cannot remain anxious for a very long period of time.
It is okay to be imperfect. As parent, when should constantly remind their children that it is okay to be imperfect. It is okay to perform average whether in sports or academics. When should put pressure on their children to be perfect. Nothing is more important than mental health. This is not to say that striving is not important. It is important to encourage your child to work hard but equally important to accept and embrace your child’s mistakes and imperfections.
Schedule relaxing activities. Children need time to relax and be kids. Even fun activities, like sports, can become more about winning than having fun. Instead, it is important to ensure that your child engages in play purely for the sake of fun. This includes scheduling time each day for your child to play with toys, play a game with them, play an outdoor sport (without it being competitive) regularly, doing yoga, paint , have a tea party with them, put on a play, or just be silly.
There are plenty of things that one can do to make their children happy and stress free. Always remember that it is more important to lead a happy and stress free life than to have a competitive mindset.
— By Vandana Jindal, Chairperson, Jindals’ Mother’s Care
