Stress and Children

The life of the children and adolescents in the new millennium is one of cell phones, iPods, computers, emails, text messages and Wii games but it also the life of high stakes testing, organized competitive sports, divorce, financial crisis, terrorism and wars.  Gone are the days when kids went out and played basketball in a neighbor’s driveway until dusk.  This generation has scheduled play dates with friends in between dance class, soccer practice and tutoring.  Today’s teens, tweens and even younger kids, are targeted by advertisers to purchase the must have clothes, UGG boots and technology.  Television news programs inundate our children and us with reports of the struggling economy and tensions in the world and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Exercise is down, obesity is up, diabetes is on the rise, the food we eat is questionable (high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, organic/nonorganic!).  News reports tell us that stress and anxiety is on the increase among children, well no wonder. 

One way to combat the stress brought on by society’s demands is through regular yoga practice.  Children and adolescents can benefit from the restorative, meditative and exercise elements that are taught in yoga.  Yoga enables children to better regulate their emotions and teaches them how to cope with stress and self soothe.  Through breathing techniques and meditation children can learn to quiet their minds allowing them to relax and think more clearly.  In addition, children can increase their flexibility, strength, coordination and balance through regular yoga practice.  Yoga teaches the mind-body connection which can lead to improved self image and better posture which is particularly useful to adolescents.

High Stakes Tests and the School Environment

Well meaning educators and politicians have developed a series of standardized tests in order to ensure that no child is left behind.  These tests are implemented nationwide to students many beginning in the primary grades (grades 1 – 3).   Real estate values are in part determined by the scores of the students in a particular school.  Therefore school administrators, politicians and parents pressure teachers to instruct students in order to achieve the highest possible scores.  Teachers in turn pressure students, even those in elementary school, to perform well on tests.  By the time these children get to high school their graduation is dependant on passing these standardized tests. 

According to Jean M Twenge, PhD a psychologist with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, “anxiety has increased substantially among children and college-age students over the last three decades" (as cited in, Davis).   Researchers discovered that elementary and middle school students benefited from stress reduction techniques, including visualizing success, positive imagery, breathing techniques, and listening to soothing music.( Triplett)Children typically find that through the use of breathing techniques and stretching involved in yoga they can find relief from daily stressors.  Yoga emphasizes proper breathing when students are instructed to breathe they will begin to relax. 

Children and Sports Injuries

Children are increasingly enrolled in team sports activities at younger and younger ages. In addition, high school teams are becoming more and more competitive and in order for students to get a coveted spot on the high school junior varsity or varsity team they must specialize in their sport of choice at a young age.  This comes with a price for adolescents, repetitive motion injuries as well as increased stress.

 Participation in team sports activities is in on the increase amongst children and adolescents.  Approximately 20 million children and adolescents take part in recreation or competitive sports outside of school.  Twenty-percent of the children participating in sports activities are injured each year and of those injured 1 in 4 is serious.