Most adults think that stress is a purely adult phenomenon. I don’t agree. From my experience as a mother of four kids aged six and under, I would say the opposite. Children certainly experience things that stress and concern them.
So what can you do as a parent, Grandparent, God-mother, neighbour, teacher, pastor or friend to help them combat their fears?

I don’t know all the answers. But here are some of the things I am trying that seem to be helping.

1. Pray with and for them. Children dwell on things after school or at bedtime. Being ‘fully present’ in their lives at that time and helping them to handle what is going on in their worlds will help. Offer to pray about things that they are thinking about. If they’re feeling anxious about something that they have said or done, help them to openly share their feelings with God and ask His forgiveness. If your children are older and more independent, text them or email them to say that you are praying for them. You might also want to give them verses that you are praying to encourage and bless them. It is great to share your prayer needs for your children with a small number of others you trust. This opens you up to other’s advice, love and support. We have found this really helpful in the last few months.

2. Schedule special time for your children. If, like us you have more than one child, it is important that each of them feel special and loved. Set aside some time to spend with each of them separately, where, within reason, they get to choose the activity. I was very blessed last week when I offered Ben some special time and he asked simply to sit in a café with me. All he wanted to do was talk and eat cake with me. Seriously. How hard is that?!

3. Limit their calendar. This is unpopular in current thinking. But I have not allowed my children to do many activities after school. I think children can try to juggle too many things and become exhausted. They can then easily become overwhelmed by stress, since they rush from one activity to another without enough time to reflect on what’s going on in their lives. There is plenty of time for them to horse ride in the summer holidays. Whilst they are at school, they need to focus on learning to play, share and work.

4. Help them to understand the need for and absorb silence. Reading time, doing jigsaws, having a bath alone, having a cuddle are all important. If they have time spent in solitude and silence, they can learn how to listen for God’s voice speaking to them and absorb His peace into their spirit.

I am noticing the fruit of these things. I will share more in the coming days of my experiments, mini- triumphs and disasters in this area.