ANYONE can have a stressful day. While it’s normal to feel stressed sometimes, experiencing it too often can have a long-lasting impact.

April is Stress Awareness Month, highlighting the impact that consistent pressures may put on us and our children. It’s important we help children learn ways to manage stress and enjoy care-free calmer days too.

At Childline, mental and emotional health and wellbeing continue to be the main reasons young people contact our counsellors. More than 105,000 counselling sessions on mental health and wellbeing took place in 2022/23 and of these over 30,000 related specifically to stress and anxiety. The pressure of exams, the cost-of-living crisis and pressures at home or from friends can all contribute to these feelings. That can leave anyone feeling overwhelmed, especially children.

As adults, there’s a lot we can do to support them. This year’s theme for Stress Awareness Month is #LittleByLittle, highlighting the transformative impact of consistent small positive actions. Perhaps you could start by looking at the Childline website with your child. It has tips and advice to help with worries, and the Calm Zone was designed to help children manage stress. Parents and children may find useful activities, like the yoga videos or games including Build Your Happy Place. When done regularly, these can have a great impact. Perhaps you could do a yoga video together, or could play one of the Calm Zone games.

As parents, it’s likely we will know if our child is acting out of character. Perhaps they’re quieter than normal or become angry more easily. There could be a number of reasons why a child is behaving this way, so regular informal conversations or ‘check-ins’ with your child is so important. Not only will this give you better insight into their wellbeing, it will also help them speak up about their concerns.

When problems seem too big to deal with, children may struggle to relax. By helping break big problems into smaller ones, we make them easier to solve. A child may benefit from organising their days to ensure they have time to revise or do chores, but also see friends and take time out to watch TV when it’s time for a break. It’s important they don’t rush things when there’s a lot happening in their lives, planning can be beneficial in helping a child feel accomplished and able to rest.

Navigating the various stages of a child’s life can be a challenge for parents. Children and young people aged 19 and under can contact Childline for confidential advice and support. Parents can contact the NSPCC Helpline for free support on a range of subjects, including helping their child through stressful situations. Visit nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/mental-health-parenting. Our Helpline is 0808 800 5000. Childline is on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk. Children using BSL can also contact our website.