Stress is a natural part of life, where the body identifies something that needs attention and prepares to engage. It serves a special purpose, helping to overcome obstacles, build resilience, and rise to the occasion.

Stress may encourage a student to practice for an audition, where their hard works pays off by getting the part in the school musical. A due date encourages students to work on a group project on time and, in turn, gets them a good grade.

While we all have stress, we must learn to manage it when young. Chronic stress can quickly overtake us, and we can mentally and physically shut down. As educators, it’s important we keep an eye out for red flags indicating childhood stress and for those who may be struggling to manage it.

For Stress Awareness month, learn how you can help keep stress to a healthy balance in the classroom with these signs of stress in children.

Common Signs of Stress to Look Out for in Children

From getting in a fight with a friend to managing homework, there can be many stressful situations for students. Stress can manifest itself in many different ways, depending on the child and if they have a flight, fight, or freeze response.

Stress can look like:

  • Physical symptoms. Including sweating, accelerated heartbeat, shaking, rashes, or heavy breathing.
  • Physical pain. Stomach aches or headaches are especially common signs of stress in younger children.
  • Kids have a difficult time paying attention as their flight reaction activates.
  • Kids may feel a need to always be busy to procrastinate dealing with threatening feelings.
  • Aggressive behavior. Children may be irritable or angry as their fight reaction kicks in.
  • Mood swings. Sudden changes in behavior can arise when a student experiences a trigger to their nervous system
  • Reduced energy. Kids may be having difficulty sleeping due to stress.

Managing Stress in the Classroom

Stress is never fun to deal with in the moment, but childhood stress can also have long-term implications if it is never managed properly. Teachers, nurses, athletic staff, and faculty can help decrease student stress levels.

Create a Welcoming Environment

The last thing you want to do is stress kids out the second they step foot in the classroom. Make the space feel as welcoming as possible so that they feel safe as soon as they enter. This can include everything from how you decorate the classroom to smiling and greeting them upon entry. Always give kids positive feedback.

Set Clear Expectations

When students know what to expect, they can manage their emotions better. Establish clear rules on day one and ensure kids know how to act and work when under your care. This avoids any frustration or uncertainty from kids and allows them to make informed choices.

Normalize Talking About Mental Health

One key part of making the classroom feel like a safe space is to normalize the feelings students may be experiencing. Young students need help labeling their emotions before understanding why they feel a certain way. Encouraging this discussion makes students less likely to hide and struggle with emotions. They’re more likely to communicate their problems in the future.

Be the Anchor

Whenever kids feel stressed, it’s up to the adults to bring in a sense of calm. Their nervous systems are activated, and since their frontal lobe hasn’t fully developed, they don’t yet have the capacity to manage or control those emotions.

It’s not up to the teacher to fix the stress, as it’s unlikely that stress is coming from you. Instead, it’s about holding space for the child. Help them identify and feel their feelings and then help deactivate the nervous system.

Breathwork

Stressed youth are often anxious youth. If you need to deescalate an immediate situation, practice breathwork with the child. Alongside the student, inhale for three counts and exhale for six. Repeat this until the child feels like themselves again and then talk about their feelings.

Teachers can incorporate breathwork into the classroom as well. Try this as a class wide activity before a test or when you feel like the class could benefit from a grounding exercise.

Get Outside

There are many proven mental health benefits of getting outside, including providing mental rest and decreasing anxiety and stress levels. Try taking the class outside for a walk or a game on a daily basis to relieve overall classroom stress.

This can also work for an individual who needs help calming down. Go for a walk together and help them label their emotions while outside. Walking, getting outside, and talking things through allows the body to change from panic to calm.

Collaborate Across Departments

A school that collaborates makes mental health a priority for its students, where everyone works together to look for these signs of stress in children. Magnus Health simplifies communication between all departments so counselors, teachers, coaches, and nurses can work together to put a student’s mental well-being first. Request a demo today to learn more about how Magnus Health can help your school’s health initiatives.