How to Deal With Stress & Anger in a Preschool Environment

Like adults, preschoolers experience stress and anger for a number of reasons, including fear or anxiety, exhaustion, overstimulation and disagreements with friends or siblings. Preschoolers may also experience long-term stress resulting from family issues, such as divorce, illness or the death of a loved one. They may respond to these emotions by crying, throwing tantrums, withdrawing socially and experiencing physical symptoms like trouble sleeping. While all stress and anger cannot be avoided, parents and caregivers can teach preschoolers how to deal with these emotions appropriately.

Instructions

• 1

  Learn the signs of stress and anger in preschoolers. Symptoms of stress include increased crying, whining, irritability, exhibiting nervous habits like thumb sucking, acting out, and physical symptoms, such as stomach aches, low energy or trouble sleeping. Anger may be exhibited through clenched teeth, growling or other angry noises, facial expressions, increased irritability, pouting or social withdrawal.

• 2

  Engage the child in enjoyable activities, such as playing a game or reading a book. A constructive distraction often helps diffuse a child's stress or anger. Physical activity is another way to relieve a child's stress or anger.

• 3

  Provide the child with "quiet time" to calm down. This may include "time out" or simply allowing the child a few moments to herself. Quiet time can help a child learn to comfort herself, as well as recognize and control symptoms of stress and anger.

• 4

  Help the child better understand his emotions by expressing them to you in words. You may need to provide prompts to help the child understand the emotion he's trying to articulate. For example, you might ask the child if he felt "mad" when his friend wouldn't share his new toy.

• 5

  Listen to the child's feelings or concerns if she tries to express them to you. Keep in mind that these issues are important to the child, even if they seem silly to an adult.

• 6

  Practice healthy habits for managing stress and anger, such as taking a few deep breaths when you begin to feel stressed or upset. Observing healthy coping strategies in adults helps children learn to deal with their emotions appropriately.