How to Help Your Child With School Stress

*This is a sponsored post.

For many children, school can be tough. I’ve teamed up with an international school in London to gather some advice that will help parents ease the stress of school for their children. First of all, you’ll need to monitor your child and watch for signs of stress. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your child worry a lot and often feel tense?
• Do they get lots of headaches and stomach pains?
• Does your child have trouble sleeping?
• Do they have mood swings?
• Is your child irritable, emotional or negative?
• Has your child become withdrawn from activities they used to love?

If your child displays any of the above symptoms, they may be dealing with school stress. Don’t worry though; as their parent, there are lots of ways you can help. First and foremost, you need to encourage your child to speak up about how they’re feeling, either to you or to one of their teachers. If you don’t understand what they’re dealing with, it will be difficult to help them.

Make sure your child has a healthy routine, consisting of enough sleep and a balanced diet. A good amount of sleep will help your child concentrate at school, reduce their irritability and help them handle their stress. Limiting your child’s time on their technological devices will allow them to wind down before bed and help them get a fulfilling night’s sleep.

It’s also important that your child knows you’re there for them. Be sure to make yourself available when they’re doing their homework or revision, so that they know they can ask you questions if they get stuck. Try to be positive and encouraging as much as possible, rather than critical when things go wrong, so that your child isn’t afraid of disappointing you. This will only add to the pressure. Let them know that the amount of effort they put in is far more important than the grades.