Home
>
Parenting
>
Stress is No Kiddy Matter

Stress is No Kiddy Matter

Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives that we used to live as kids. This, I am absolutely sure of?.if there's nothing else in this world that I am confident about. Kids live such stressed lifestyles now that I feel that it's not even worth being a kid anymore and in fact, I'd rather be an adult, if I had a choice. Kids between the ages babies to 4 years old and during the preadolescent ages are the most susceptible to stress and stressful situations.

First off, let's examine the kind of life that the stressed kids live each day, I believe, in most of our societies.

There's school, there's tuition (Math, English, Art, Science?etc), and then there's tuition (swimming, drama, mandarin, French, Japanese, Spanish, dance, tennis), and then there's also homework (which most working adults no longer have)??and some parents even give their kids more homework at home at their own accord, as if the homework given by schoolteachers are not enough. Blagh!

Looking at the kind of schedule that kids have these days, it's not hard to imagine why they're so stressed out! Wouldn't you be too, if you were a kid? The moment the kid sits down to watch TV or to play a simple game on Playstation, the parents starts shooting off about how they are wasting their time and not doing or learning anything worthwhile. In the meantime, mom still gets to go for her facials and dad still continues to channel-surf on the TV, apparently oblivious to the things happening in his home.

Yes, we are living in a very competitive world. Yes, we want the best for our kids. Yes, we want them to be the best that they can be. And yes, every experience should be a learning experience. But what about being a kid? Isn't being a kid part of the 'experience' of living as well? Don't stress your kid out like that! They need some personal space and time to de-stress themselves or?spend some time being what they are?.kids.

When in stressful situations, kids have the fight or flight feeling Remember the time when you were asked to carry out the presentation when your colleague suddenly called in sick in the office? Remember the first time you performed on stage, storytelling, singing or choir performance? Remember them? Didn't you feel like you wanted to bolt from the situation because as a kid, you were feeling stressed out?

That's the kind of feeling that your kid is feeling when you put him or her under too much pressure. Let's face it, they don't have to be perfect ? and like you, they have the right to be who they are as naturally as possible. And you're the only one who can help them do that.

Identify their natural talent; uncover and nurture it Instead of forcing them to take tuition after tuition, lesson after lesson and do things that they don't like doing at all, why not spend some time with each of our kids each day, talking with them and discovering their inner self. When we sit down with our kids, we will discover what they like to do and we can uncover some hidden talents. For instance, I talk with my kids before bedtime and we spend about a good 10 minutes just yakking and talking about the day's events.

One night, my elder son, Joshua told me that he liked to draw. I said, "Yeah, it's kind of fun to use all those colors and mix them up together and see what we can come up with, isn't it?" to which Joshua replies, "But mom, I don't like to use colors. I don't like to PAINT, I like to DRAW".

I didn't think there was much difference until his art teacher told me that Joshua prefers to draw cartoon figures and sketches. He doesn't quite like to spend his time coloring any of his paintings, although he does it.

Just from the boding process itself, I discovered Joshua had this natural aptitude for sketching and drawing. And I swear I'll do anything to help him shine in that area, as long as he remains focused. I won't put pressure on him to excel, and if he thinks he wants to take this a step further later on his life, he has my blessings.

Give them due credit and listen to their problems and concerns We know all this already, don't we? It's pure simple logic! But yet, we tend to listen more to adults than our own kids because we naturally and sometimes subconsciously think and believe that we know better and we're in a better position to make the decisions for them. When kids confide in you and tell you about their concerns, take the matter seriously. It may seem trivial to us but it's very important to them. So, take their concerns to heart. Listen hard and listen well and don't interrupt when they are on the roll. Sometimes, your kids may just want you to listen to them talk and voice their opinions out, instead of looking for advice or helping them solve their problems. When you listen to your kids talk and take their concerns seriously, you're actually helping them de-stress themselves.

Helping our kids plan and expect stress When you know your kid is going to be in a stressful situation, teach them how to anticipate it, plan for it, get ready for it, face it and then learn something from it. Stress is not always a bad thing, even for a kid but like they say, too much of anything is not a good thing. So, help your kids handle stress better and stop giving them more stress?.like they don't already have enough stress in their lives already!

Marsha Maung is a freelance graphic designer and copy writer who works rom her home in Selangor, Malaysia. She loves nothing than blowing bubbles in the park with her 2 kids, Joshua and Jared and considers getting her hair yanked while playing horsey an absolute privilege. She is the author of "Raising little magicians", and the popular "The Lance in freelancing". More information can be found at http://www.marshamaung.com

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Stress is No Kiddy Matter

Parenting