Tweens at this age undergo many changes which can affect their overall mental health. So they can experience stress in many ways like emotional and physical. Sometimes stress is ok and it can motivate your child to perform well. But too much stress can be overwhelming and can have negative effects on their sleep and learning capabilities . So let us see how we can deal with stress in tweens .
Types of stress in tweens
Emotional stress
When tweens snap at their parents for no reason this is a clear sign that their kid is stressed. Tweens may be irritated, aloof, anxious, and agitated when stressed. They may get angry and overwhelmed at the time and may feel hopeless and helpless.
Physical stress
Fatigue, headaches, constipation, nausea and dizziness, palpitations, and loss of appetite are the common signs of stress in tweens. They may lose interest in physical activities such as sports and for girls, they may experience abnormalities in their cycle.
Behavioural stress
Nervous habits like nail-biting, restless pacing, moving around constantly and acting fidgety can be displayed in tweens. They isolate themselves and dont show any interest in activities .
Causes of stress
Academic:
Studies can cause a lot of stress. School projects, assignments, exams, etc. can be very burdensome to many tweens.
Physical changes and social pressure
Tweens undergo emotional and physical changes that can lead to confusion and stress. This mostly happens during puberty and excessive strain can make more stressed. Social relationships are especially important in adolescence. Many tweens are constantly worried about fitting in peer pressure.
Family problems:
Anything wrong in the family can have a direct impact on the tween. These may include unreasonable expectations by parents, marital discord between parents, sickness of a family member, or strained relationship between siblings. If the family is undergoing a financial problem, then it also stresses the tween as they cannot do much about it.
Drastic life changes:
The expectation of parents and teachers regarding changes in life, moving to a new place or accepting a new member in the family can be wholesome.Traumatic events can also can harm tweens like accidents, sickness or death of a loved one, physical or mental abuse.
Poor self-esteem and unhealthy competition
Tweens normally have Self-doubt and they go through a mix of emotions which leads to poor self esteem . Competition is good but such competition that can lead to jealousy and resentment can be a burden to the brain.Not eating food on time and not doing chores or school work on time can further impact the mental health of the tween.
How to deal with stress in tweens
Healthy Sleep and healthy diet
Early to bed, early to rise. This can make the tween active and help them manage time.Kids often eat more junk food when stressed. Healthy food can alleviate the tension that resides in the body.
Exercise.
Physical activity is an best stress reliever for tweens. They should take out atleast 60 minutes a day for exercise. they can Spend time in nature or go for long walk. This is an effective way to relieve stress and improve overall well-being.
Positive thinking:
Parents can generate positive thinking in tweens and get rid of their hopelessness and helplessness. Parents can support their child in their time of need and can make the child feel protected and loved.
Conclusion
We cannot eliminate Stress from life completely. However, tweens should overcome it before they enter their teen and adult life.Sharing can relieve a lot of the stress and parents should be there for the tweens and be the listening ear .Support their hobbies and things that bring them joy can help reverse stress.
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Do read my previous article in these series of : “Parenting TweenS”
A: A transformative age called tweens
B: Parenting Tweens: A Balancing Act
C: Connecting with tweens :Emotionally and Physically
