Is Stress Really a Bad Thing for Kids?
Let’s decode stress and its impact on adults as well as kids.
How many times have we heard the phrases, “Dude you look stressed out”, “Don’t stress too much”, “Stop worrying”. So does it make sense to be under stress? Can stress do anything good?
Don’t come to the judgement of this topic so soon. It could be a life-changing experience. Broadly speaking stress are of multiple types such as emotional stress, financial stress, stress related to the job, stress about the examination and many more. But I would like to keep stress into 3 buckets:
First is “No stress” at all in life!!!
You would say by now “ I will not read the rest of your blog, this is the best bucket, and I would not like to have any stress in my life or even for my kids and family”. That’s cool but how long will it work? Because whatever may be the condition it’s not going to remain the same forever.
Now don’t take me in the negative sense that I am telling you to take the stress.
At times to achieve something you got to get out of your comfort zone, and when you are out of your comfort zone there will be many challenges, life will not be hunky-dory. You got to overcome painful situations and for that, you have to train your mind as well as your kid’s mind accordingly. Do not over pamper your kids. It’s a big no-no!
You would argue, “It’s my money, my life and my kids”
You are absolutely right it’s your money, not your kids.
So do not give them anything so easily. Spend, but wisely.
Because if you over pamper the kids, fulfil all their wishes without any questions asked. One day you will be the reason for his/her stress or depression.
Because your kid is not trained for the outside world and this world is a hell of a place. Your kid has not learnt to hear “No” and that’s something he/she would not be able to digest or deal with and would succumb to stress, which would finally lead to depression.
This takes me to the second bucket “Healthy stress”
“Dude you can do it”, “Work for hard party harder” aren’t this good to hear or at least a bit positive or motivating.
It’s ok if the kids get a minor bruise in the elbow or knee while playing, do not overreact if it’s a minor thing. Let them play barefoot at times. And remind them that life will not be smooth always, it would throw challenges for sure and be prepared for it.
This would make them mentally tough to face challenges in life.
So healthy stress is realistic, fun and will help one to reach their goal in a balanced way.
“No’s” will not be hurtful to that extent and one can carve their own path in a meaningful way.
Have you heard at times, “Dude my workplace has toxic work culture”, “No work-life balance”, “Working 16 hours a day”, “Too much politics and discrimination” and this seems toxic and negative to hear as well as experience, and here arrives our third bucket “Negative Stress”?
At times parents have over expectations from the kid, and they treat the kid like a Robo, you have to achieve this, you have to do this, you have to, you have to, you have to …. blah blah blah…. And beyond a certain threshold, one gets bogged down by the daily pressure
The same happens in the workplace when you are treated in an inhumane way.
Your manager or boss yells at you on daily basis, or if you are short of your targets fear mongering starts about your job or you getting fired. This could lead to negative stress if someone is overburdened and that would definitely create a negative impact on the mind and health.
So be it workplace or kids one should give or take healthy stress.
No stress would take you nowhere and Negative stress could lead you to fear, depression and anxiety.
I know it has become a bit of moral science class, but it creates a huge psychological impact on our future generation.
Originally published at https://quantumener.com on January 5, 2021.
