Kids Have Stress Too!® KHST!

Stress is a normal part of everyday life for children and adults. It helps to motivate us and adds a positive challenge to life. However, too much stress can be counter-productive and overwhelming.

Even the most nurturing home and school environment includes a range of stressors that can both challenge and motivate children. While stress is a necessary part of development and learning, it’s clear that Canadian families now face more stress than ever before.

Stress among children is estimated to have increased 45% over the past 30 years. The good news is that building emotional health and resiliency can help children concentrate, learn, interact more successfully and deal with other stressors they may face in their lives.

Why focus on children’s stress? Because too much stress:

• Makes it more difficult for children to get along with others
• Interfers with children's ability to focus, think and ultimately learn
• Has a profound effect on children's physical, emotional and mental health 

By helping children learn positive coping strategies to deal with stress, you can help build their resiliency and prevent stress from escalating to distress, anxiety and meltdowns.

Developed by The Psychology Foundation of Canada, the Kids Have Stress Too! program helps parents, caregivers and educators understand childhood stress and how to provide children with the tools to deal with stress effectively. It is a broad-based primary prevention program which provides parents, caregivers, and communities with the knowledge, awareness and skills to help young people become healthier and more resilient through learning how to manage their stress.

The program includes a range of resources designed for parents, those who work with young children in early learning settings, and for classrooms .

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to TD Bank Group for their continued generous support of the Kids Have Stress Too!® program

        Lead Sponsor                               Preschool Program