Reducing Stress During Testing: Simple
Strategies for Children
by Meera
Jain (BS, DPS)
After spending some time with some 4th graders
this week, I was shocked to discover that a significant number of them were not
sleeping well because they were stressed about the upcoming STAR testing.
I decided to investigate this further and found that according to a survey
conducted by Christopher Munsey of the American Psychological
Association (APA) in 2010, 44% of the children surveyed reported that
doing well in school was a major source of stress for them. Although, there are
a multitude of reasons for why children experience stress, school performance
seemed to rank as the highest stressor.
It is important for us to understand that a little stress can be considered a
positive thing as it challenges and motivates us to focus, learn and perform
well. However, too much stress can become a major hindrance on well-being,
memory and performance. A number of psychological studies have shown that
children are not always able to express their feelings and thoughts as well as
adults can. Often, children are not even aware of the stress or anxiety that
they may be experiencing. They simply react to their internal feelings of
discomfort by acting out, behaving badly to get attention or develop the belief
that there is something wrong with them. Furthermore, another APA survey
conducted by Harris Interactive in August 2010, found that parents often
underestimate the level of stress their children feel and the causes of that
stress.
So, as we get closer to testing time, it becomes imperative that we teach our
children some simple strategies and techniques to help reduce stress and
promote relaxation. Over the last 20 years that I have been practicing
Psychology and Energy Psychology; the following are some of the most effective
strategies that I have found to help people:
BREATHE!
When we are experiencing stress, our breath becomes quick,
short and shallow. This is problematic because not only does this make our
heart beat faster, but it means that there is insufficient oxygen going into
our bodies. Just think about this for a moment - if we are not breathing
properly, there is not enough oxygen going into our bodies and that creates
toxic, anaerobic conditions for most cells that may struggle to function
properly. According to The Townsend Letter for Doctors, "Cells
undergoing partial oxygen starvation send out tiny panic signals which are
collectively felt in the body as a continuous vague sensation of uneasiness,
dread or disaster".
What most people don't realize is that we have the power to
change the way we are breathing, simply by bringing our attention into our
breath for a few minutes. And if we can become Mindful of our breath as we go
through our day, we can catch ourselves when we are not breathing properly and
take a few minutes to regulate our breath. Although there are many different
breathing techniques, the one that I have found to be most effective with
adults and children is the 3-count rhythmic breath. It consists of slow
rhythmic inhales and exhales to the count of 3. Even just 5 minutes of
practicing this breath can release a lot of physical and emotional tension and
allow the breath to begin to flow with more ease.
Watch Your Thoughts!
There is an internal dialogue that goes on in our minds
almost all of the time. The thoughts that race through our minds are mostly
about problems and situations, judgments, blame, insecurity, worry and so on.
Notice how different thoughts and memories are capable of generating different
emotions. For example, a thought process such as "I don't like math ....
it is too hard .... I'm probably going to fail the math test .... My parents
will be really upset" may trigger emotions and feeling of worry and
anxiety.
Most of us are too engaged with our internal dialogue and
under the misconception that the stream of thoughts are important and have
something valuable to share with us that we hinder ourselves from truly living
our lives in the 'here and now'. What we need to realize is that our internal
dialogue is only a part of us and not a representation of the totality of us.
Our thoughts are a habitual attempt by a part of us to understand or adapt to
basic survival.
By learning to disengage from our internal dialogue and
starting to watch our thoughts flow by like a river can help us to regain more
control over our lives and live in more ease. When this ability to watch our
thoughts without engaging them is combined with the 3-count rhythmic breath,
the process of stress reduction and relaxation becomes quite powerful. The
best way that I found to explain this to children is with a clip from the
movie Kung Fu Panda. The hero of the movie is a panda called
Po, who is having a moment of feeling low and giving up his dream - his
internal dialogue tells him he is a failure - he is no good at anything, he
eats too much and worries a great deal about everything. In that moment, the
wise old turtle Oogway arrives and says, "You are too concerned about what
was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a
mystery, but today is a gift". Suddenly, a look of realization dawns on Po
as he begins to understand that worrying about what has happened and what might
happen is pointless, because he is missing out on the 'now'.
Prepare Well!
It is important to support our children in being well
prepared for the test; as this will help them feel more confident and at ease.
Here is a basic checklist:
- Make sure your child has learned the required
material thoroughly.
- Talk to your child about their feelings about
the tests and provide them with lots of encouragement and support.
- Help your child get to bed on time and get a
good night sleep before the day of the test.
- Make sure your child has plenty of exercise and
playtime in their routine.
- Ensure that your child does not show up to
school on an empty stomach. It is important to have a balanced and nutritious
breakfast such as a small bowl of oatmeal, a banana and some orange juice.
Avoid foods that can cause physiological stress such as processed foods, tea,
coffee, sugar, sweeteners, chocolate, soft drinks, fried foods, meats and any
foods containing preservatives.
- Make sure your child is well hydrated.
- Have a relaxation routine that may include some
positive visualization, breathing or meditation.
(Note: This article was first
written in April 2012 for the Doyle Elementary PTA Newsletter and is reposted
here)
References:
1) American Psychological Society (APA), The kids aren't all right:
New data from APA's Stress in America survey indicate parents don't know what's
bothering their children, January 2010, Vol 41, No 1. http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/01/stress-kids.aspx
2) DreamWorks Animation (Producer), Stevenson, J.W., & Osborne,
M. (Directors). (2008). Kung Fu Panda (Computer Animation). United
States: Paramount Pictures.
3) Harris Interactive, (August 2010), APA Survey raises concern about
health impact of stress on children and families. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/11/stress-in-america.aspx
4) STAR Testing. http://www.startest.org/
5) The Townsend Letter For Doctors, www.townsendletter.com
Meera Jain (BS, DPS) is a pioneer in the emerging new
field of Energy Psychology and also the founder and director of the Institute
of Conscious Living. She has presented seminars, taught classes and
coached individual clients at many different venues, including universities and
local healing centers. Her work includes Meditation, Reiki, Archetypal
Psychology, Inner Child Work and more. Her ability to zone in on 'the
problem' and guide her clients through a recovery process in just a few
sessions amazes those who experience it.
Meera has a background in Psychology. After finishing
her postgraduate studies in Oxford (UK), she worked as an Assistant Psychologist in the areas of mental health and learning disabilities for a
number of years; before moving to the US with her husband. Because of her
own spiritual upbringing, she always felt very discontent with the nature of
conventional medicine and set out on a path to search for tools that go beyond
conventional medicine and can treat the whole person (mind, body and
spirit).
In 2009, Meera founded the Institute of
Conscious Living, an organization dedicated to heal, transform and empower
individuals and organizations through educational programs, workshops, seminars
and personal therapy. the Institutes' signature healing system was recently
implemented on a volunteer basis to patients in a San Diego Hospital.
Meanwhile, the 'Mindful Kids Program' which teaches children simple strategies
to reduce stress and promote a balanced life was successfully introduced into a
public elementary school.
Although, Meera is passionate about her work, she takes great
care to promote the highest ethical principles whilst also attempting to bridge
the gap between science and spirituality. Her vision is to see a world
where each and every person on the planet can meditate and has Reiki in their
hands, empowering us all to take more control over our own mental,
emotional, physical and spiritual health and well-being. To find out more
about Meera's work or the Institute of Conscious Living, please visit my website.
