Growing up isn’t easy…especially if you throw a pandemic and frequent schooling changes into the mix! Over the past 2 ½ years, children have had to adjust to homeschooling, remote learning, social isolation, and fear of infection. These challenges on top of growing up in general have accumulated immensely and caused a great deal of stress for children everywhere.
As a parent, it is only natural for you to want to do everything you can do to help support your child’s development as they get back on track. In this article, we will explore 4 of the most common stressors children have been faced with and how you can take action and help.
Social Pressure
Social pressure is a common theme that occurs during childhood, especially since children have missed out on 2+ years of socialization and learning typical cues. As a result, children are left feeling inadequate to peers and socially challenged, due to a lack of exposure and practice. Not to mention the popularity of major social media platforms, which have been proven to negatively impact the social development of young people, by causing pressure to conform and fit in with peers. (1)
Home Stress
Home life can also be challenging for children to navigate, especially if recent changes have been made to structures or dynamics. Parents going through a separation, blended families, moving houses, deaths, and more can all cause children to struggle. As a result, their happiness can be impacted in their social life as well as reflected in their school performance. Keep a close eye on your child’s social activity and watch for any changes in grades, as these can be a sign your child might be struggling in silence.
Learning Setbacks
Feeling setback in learning, especially when compared to peers, can also cause stress for children. If certain children were granted access to in-person learning opportunities during the pandemic or benefitted from tutoring, this may put some children at an advantage over others. If your child feels insecure in their level of knowledge, this can cause major stress both personally and academically. (2) (3)
Developmental Changes
We all remember puberty. The stage of life where nothing feels quite right. Our bodies morph, skin breaks out, appetite increases, and the image we are so used to seeing in the mirror seems to change drastically in a short period of time. This can cause children to feel uncomfortable, both inside and out. Supporting your child as they learn to love this new version of themselves isn’t easy, but it is extremely necessary for their emotional and physical well being!
Learning to support your child is a journey that can be hard to do alone. Contact NeruoBehavioral Associates today for more information on how you can seek support for your child.
Resources:
(1) Social Networking’s Good and Bad Impact on Kids – the American Psychological Association
(2) COVID-19 Pandemic Massively Set Back Learning, Especially For High Poverty Areas – PBS
(3) COVID-19 Scale Education Loss Nearly Insurmountable, Warns UNICEF – UNICEF
