Stress, at its core, is the body’s psychological and physical reaction to something perceived as a threat. Interestingly, the situation doesn’t have to be genuinely threatening - it's our response that turns it into a source of stress.
According to UNICEF, just like adults, children can also experience stress. Because school is such a central part of their daily life and identity, it’s no surprise that it can also be one of the biggest contributors to stress for many children.
Stress doesn’t have to stem directly from school to impact a child’s academic performance. External pressures or personal issues can easily spill over into their school life, making it harder for children to perform well in the classroom.
How Parents Can Identify Stress in Their Children
Stress often shows up in subtle ways, and as a parent, recognising when your child is stressed is the first step in providing support. A few stress red flags include:
- Changes in behaviour: Your child might become withdrawn, irritable, or unusually emotional.
- Physical symptoms: Headaches, dry mouth, tight chest, stomach aches, or fatigue without a clear medical cause.
- Drop in academic performance: A sudden drop in grades or enthusiasm for schoolwork.
- Avoidance: Skipping school, avoiding homework, or not wanting to participate in social activities.
- Sleep disturbances: Trouble relaxing or falling asleep, frequent nightmares, or waking up feeling tired can signal that your child is feeling overwhelmed.
- Increased clinginess or need for reassurance: Younger children may become more dependent, seeking comfort or expressing fears about things they previously handled well.
Five Practical Tips to Alleviate Stress
BIC South Africa offers these six tips for parents to help their children better handle school stress:
1. Build a Routine
Daily routines provide children with a sense of stability and control. Set aside dedicated time for homework, extracurricular activities, and studying. And don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep - well-rested children are better at handling the ups and downs of the school day after a good night's sleep.
2. Teach Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Encourage your child to find healthy ways to handle stress, like trying deep breathing exercises, keeping a journal, or letting their creativity flow through drawing with BIC pencils or doodling with BIC markers. Making sure your child exercises daily, whether it's playing sports, walking, or just running around outdoors, can help to shake off stress.
3. Give Them a Shoulder to Lean On
Let your child know that it’s okay to talk about their struggles. Create a judgement-free space where they feel comfortable sharing their fears, anxieties, or frustrations with you. Sometimes, just being heard can make all the difference to a child.
4. Foster Positive Peer Relationships
Spending time with friends plays a huge role in a child’s sense of belonging and happiness. Help your child to build friendships with peers who uplift and support them. If bullying becomes an issue, address it promptly by involving educators.
5. Ensure Your Child Has the Right School Essentials
For many learners in South Africa, a big source of anxiety comes from not having the tools they need to succeed in school. Ensuring your child has stationery, books, and a quiet space to study can go a long way in easing that stress. Expressing themselves through art and drawing can also help your child unwind. Studies show when children put pen to paper, they translate their emotions into colours and shapes, giving them an outlet to process feelings they might not yet have the words for. A study by PsychCentral found that children experience decreased stress after drawing a design, colouring a design, or drawing to express negative thoughts.
Buy a Pen, Donate a Pen this January
BIC’s Buy a Pen, Donate a Pen initiative ensures that when you choose specially marked BIC products at your favourite retailer, BIC will donate a pen for every BIC pen purchased.
Since 2012, BIC has donated over 16 million pens to underprivileged learners across South Africa. It’s a small purchase with a huge impact, helping to level the playing field and give more children the chance to succeed in school.
BIC products are affordable and built to last (like BIC long-lasting pens and premium white board markers, permanent markers and highlighters to enhance communication and studying). And with BIC back-to-school essentials available at retail stores nationally, like Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers, Spar and TakeAlot. it’s simple to grab everything your child needs, whether you’re shopping in-store or online.
To find out more, join the conversations on Facebook and Instagram.