How to Stay Stress Free: A Kid’s Perspective
The little Sequoits at ACHS give their opinion on the best reliefs from stress.
More stories from Diana Anghel
Here at Antioch Community High School, a preschool camp is held in the morning, welcoming children ages four to six. With the help of special education teacher Laura Tielke, students are taught to interact and build relationship with the kids. The atmosphere of the classroom, although tightly packed, ensures that the kids are having the best time possible. The little Sequoits are seen practicing science experiments, reading, learning how to write or scootering through the hallways. No matter the activity, they have a smile on their face and light up the whole room. In a couple of interviews, the preschoolers shared the best suggestions for living a stress free life.
- “Stress is big; it’s a super, super big monster.” Even in the mind of a kid, stress is seen as a huge weight on one’s shoulder, almost like a big monster hiding under a bed. It’s important to realize when stress takes over and to be conscious of when it takes too much control over one’s life. Although it may seem obvious, oftentimes it is forgotten that stress isn’t something that should be seen as casual. Being stressed should not be a daily occurrence and the first step towards improvement is realizing when the “super big monster” makes its appearance.
- “I like to play with nothing.” When times get tough and it feels like responsibilities are taking over, taking a step back to enjoy time by oneself is needed and will make a huge difference. Making time in a busy schedule to not communicate with other people and not work may seem unproductive, but it can be the best solution to being stressed. Learning to enjoy time without anyone else around is a huge factor to living a stress free life.
- “Playing with fire is fun!” This isn’t meant to be taken literally, but fire stands as something unusual, something that one wouldn’t typically enjoy. Looking for new habits and experiences out of the comfort zone can draw focus away from the negatives in life and help balance responsibilities with fun. Finding new hobbies and new interests can give a spark of light into a life filled with stress.
- “I cry when I’m sad.” Such a simple, yet overlooked statement. In the midst of focusing on multiple aspects and expecting perfection out of oneself, the release of emotions that are built up often gets pushed to the side or ignored. This is extremely unhealthy, as crying can be one of the biggest stress and emotion relievers there are. Whether it’s crying, moping around, or napping, having some kind of way to release emotions can be vital in living a stress free life. No one lives an emotionless life, and that’s okay. Emotions evoked within need to be released before they explode from the inside.
It may seem ironic to ask little kids for advice on stress; after all, the little Sequoits have a long way to go until they understand what stress consists of. On the other hand, they might have been the best interviewees for this; most people wish they could go back to being kids in order to be stress free and not have to worry about responsibilities.
