It's Mental Health Monday!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Children, teens, and their parents are under more stress than ever.
Stress is a very normal and necessary part of life that can either be positive or negative. What is stressful for one person may not be as stressful for another. The way we handle stress may differ as well. Children or adolescents who become stressed may show signs of moodiness, aggression, shyness, anxiety, and sometimes fear in social situations.
Stress management for youth begins with recognizing what is causing the stress? When stressors and symptoms occur it may help to adjust the child’s schedule. Also, scheduling some time for free play may help alleviate that child’s stress. Playing freely gives the family the opportunity to interact with one other. It is a time for bonding, laughing, relaxing, and more importantly enjoying one another.
Unstructured play may include arts and crafts, hanging out with friends, writing, cooking a family meal, or simply just daydreaming. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, this type of play "contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth." According to a well-known pediatrician and child development expert who is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, young people are often overscheduled with structured activities.
Praising the AAP report he said, "They are missing the chance they have to dream, fantasize, to make their own world work the way they want it. That to me is a very important part of childhood."
To read the full article click here.
Source: Stress management for Children, A Family Guide. June 2007.
During the month of May, one important fact about student mental health will be featured on the Eudora Schools Web site. This service is brought to you by the Integration Initiative Partners:
East Central Kansas Cooperative
Douglas County Youth Services
Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center
USD 491 Eudora
USD 348 Baldwin City
