While a moderate amount of academic pressure can motivate children and teens to perform well in school, an excessive amount can be significantly detrimental. Whether the pressure comes from difficult classes, societal pressure, a parent, external factors, or the high standards they have set for themselves, kids under too much academic pressure often experience negative effects on their physical and mental health including:
- Appetite loss
- Inability to relax
- Insomnia and fatigue
- Frequent headaches
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Depression, stress, and anxiety
- Stimulant abuse (caffeine, energy drinks, or prescription medications)
- Substance use
- Burnout
- Dissociation
Your child might be under too much academic pressure if you notice that they have become overly obsessed with their grades, work constantly, demonstrate excessive academic competitiveness, refuse to socialize, display any of the above symptoms, or have lost interest in the activities they used to enjoy.
Two major sources of academic pressure include a lack of organization and poor time management. You can help your child improve their time management and organizational skills in addition to teaching them helpful coping strategies for alleviating stress and anxiety.
Creating a Homework Routine and Improving Time Management
Healthy habits can help reduce stress related to homework. If your child is struggling as a result of academic pressures or is simply having a hard time doing their homework after school, you can help them develop better habits that make studying and completing their assignments feel less stressful.
Homework and Time-Management Tips
- Designate a Workspace – Create a quiet, comfortable, and organized space for your child to complete homework without distractions.
- Join a Study Group – Some schools and libraries offer afterschool study groups that provide a quiet environment with assistance. This can help your child focus and make friends at the same time.
- Establish a Homework Schedule – When a task becomes routine, it feels easier and less stressful. Making a consistent homework schedule (e.g. one hour after school or after dinner) will help your child turn studying into a habit.
- Turn Mountains into Molehills – Show your child how to break large assignments into smaller, more manageable chunks of work.
- Prioritize Assignments and Make Lists – Teach your child how to determine which assignments should be completed first. Then show them how to create a to-do list so they can experience the dopamine boost that occurs when they cross off finished tasks.
Teaching Stress Coping Skills
We all feel overwhelmed sometimes, but nobody is born knowing how to cope with negative feelings. Kids need to learn healthy strategies for coping with stress and anxiety while alleviating their anxious feelings.
Some examples of healthy coping strategies include both active and relaxed activities, such as:
- Exercising (walking, running, yoga, stretching, jumping jacks, dancing, or riding a bike)
- Squeezing a stress ball
- Playing with fidget toys (slime, poppers, spinners, etc.)
- Playing a family game like tag, catch, or Twister
- Listening to soothing music
- Deep breathing
- Guided meditation
- Visualizing a happy place
- Taking a nap or a quiet and restful break
- Drinking a glass of water
- Closing your eyes and counting backward from 10 or 100
- Taking a shower or bath
- Hugging a stuffed animal
- Playing with or snuggling the family pet
- Spending time outside (watch the clouds, listen to birds, or pick flowers)
Not every strategy works for every person, so we recommend teaching your child lots of ways to calm themselves so they can figure out what works best for them.
To help your child learn healthy coping skills, it’s best to teach them when they are feeling calm and they can even be built into your daily routine to help mitigate stress before it boils over. Do your best to be a good role model for your child, using healthy coping strategies to work through your own negative emotions.
Finding Value Outside of Academics Through Balance
Yes, school and grades are important and can have an impact on your child’s future. However, it is essential that your child learns that they have value and can be successful outside of their academic performance.
Make sure that your kids know you love them no matter what grades they get. Be sure they understand that you want them to do well in school because they are loved – not that you love them because they get good grades.
Be sure to teach your children the importance of balancing other aspects of their lives like personal character, family time, friendships, hobbies, play, rest, and extracurricular activities. Raising a well-rounded child will provide them with lots of opportunities for success, growth, and development.
Seeking Professional Support for Childhood Anxiety and Stress
If for any reason you are concerned about your child’s physical or mental well-being, we encourage you to schedule an appointment at Children’s Wellness Center. We can provide you and your child with helpful resources for improving mental and emotional health in addition to strategies for alleviating academic pressure.
If you have any questions about managing your child’s homework-related stress, please contact us.
