Children may not always be able to tell us when something is wrong, so it is up to us as parents, caregivers and family members to notice when there is trouble with the little ones. Anxiety and anger can present themselves in children in interesting ways. And while sometimes all a child needs is a little more TLC or breaks, like with overscheduled kids, sometimes a little one may need child therapy. It all depends on the situation. Whether it’s extra love, child therapy or schedule changes, all of these things can be huge stress relievers for kids who are struggling on a daily basis.

Here are some signs your child may be anxious:

• Separation anxiety—while separation anxiety is normal to a degree in early childhood, if a child cannot be separated without high levels of stress from someone, this may be a sign of anxiety.
• Wetting or soiling pants—one of the biggest behavior problems in children is often when a child will intentionally have an accident out of anxiety. A child may be attempting to control something he can control—going to the bathroom—when times are stressful.
• Trouble sleeping—overscheduled kids may be stressed and anxious, causing trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep.

Other behavior problems in children may stem from anger, such as:

– lashing out at peers verbally and/or physically
– moody temperament
– temper tantrums over what could be seemingly nothing

Stress Relievers For Kids: And Why Are Kids So Stressed?

Kids are so stressed these days for a variety of reasons:

1- Overscheduled Kids: some kids are required to do too many activities from their parents, can be burdened with homework or perhaps, are living in two homes due to a divorce and having to be shuffled around. This can be stressful for kids.

2- Divorce: with the divorce rate so high, kids are left to grieve and deal with completely new family dynamics.

3- School: school testing and expectations are so high at such a young age these days!

There are many reasons a child may be stressed so no matter why he or she is stressed, how can you help your child cope?

• Child therapy: if the issues are severe enough and impacting his or her education and social development, try child therapy
• Switch up the schedule: changing the schedule, allowing for more free and unstructured play, as well as getting to bed early are all things you can do to help your kiddo.
• Comfort objects: a doll, photo or special blanket can help soother an anxious child or angry child by adding a little touch of something soft that we love.

Finding out the best stress relievers for kids is helpful but, being present, attentive and caring will matter the most in the end, hands down!