Childhood includes times of stress and anxiety.

A child may experience anxiety when she shifts from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Situations when a child feels she has no control produce stress. These include major life changes, such as the birth of a sibling, divorce and moving. Less obvious stressors include a new child in the care group. Another is being corrected by a teacher. More complicated stressors are parents who expect the child to excel and friends who expect him or her to be popular. These often contradict one another.

What can parents do to help children manage stress? Start by giving lots of attention and physical affection to infants. Researchers tell us babies who get plenty of attention in infancy develop security and self-confidence.

This is also an opportunity to build your child's self-esteem and competence. Children who cope best have felt the satisfaction of accomplishment. Help your children find things that give them personal pleasure. Equally important is listening to her account of the day's experiences. Find out how she felt about the day as well as what she did.

Encourage your child to develop resources to use in times of stress. They can be spiritual, social, or physical. Inspire her to try new things and use her talents. A network of friends builds buffers against stress.

One way to reduce anxiety is response anticipation. For instance, if moving to a new neighborhood, help your child think of opportunities. This could be the rope swing you will hang in the yard or the nearby park.

Ongoing activities can escalate and produce stress. Evaluate your child's schedule regularly. Can he cut down on Nintendo when he is trying to master subtraction? A long list of activities may not reflect your child's motivation as much as your ideas of how to spend time.

Think about the child laying on his back in the grass--dreaming in the sun--the child without a care in the world. Children today seldom escape stress. We can help keep life as simple as possible for them.

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