Elementary students suffer from school stress and pressure

Many children in the second and third grade already suffer from stress symptoms

11/21/2012

Even children in the second and third grade show symptoms of stress. A survey study showed that already the second and third graders want more time for a sufficient recovery from school stress. Achievement pressure, school lessons and housework make the little bad to work, as the current survey showed. The German Child Protection Agency warns against overstraining the children.

Learning, homework and tutoring in the afternoon: this is the everyday life of many children in Germany. Sufficient time to rest and balance remains denied many children. Already children in the second and third elementary school class know stress at school and in the afternoon. This is testified by a recent study by the German Child Protection Agency (DKSB), which was presented today in Berlin. For the representative survey, around 5000 people aged seven to nine were interviewed throughout Germany.

After evaluating the questionnaires, it became apparent that the most common stress factor in children at this age is the school. The school visit ranks even before the dispute or anger within the family. About 25 percent of all schoolchildren stated that they were even „very often stressed to feel“. It was noticeable, „that children in third grade feel twice as likely to succeed as stress as the second graders do, "reports Kinderschutzbund spokesman Friedhelm Güthoff „Vorwehen the future choice of secondary schools“.

Strong awareness of health and recovery
However, the survey also showed that seven- to nine-year-olds have a strong awareness of health and know many ways to relax adequately. Also, the majority of children said that they are basically happy: „Nine out of ten children are usually happy.“

Almost 100 percent of the children said that their health was important and about 90 percent said, „It's pretty or very important to eat healthy“. Four out of five children surveyed said they often or often eat fruits and vegetables. Only 28 percent of young participants said they often or often eat sweets.

Mostly the kids drink water and tea without sugar (62 percent) and only 22 percent say they drink shower or do it often or very often. "At this age, everything that is necessary for the development of a healthy lifestyle is present, and now we adults are required to maintain and strengthen these impulses," said the pediatrician. Dietrich Grönemeyer. Food science has long been known from studies that eating behavior can have a negative impact on the future of the future. Parents, teachers and doctors must stay here much more, says the doctor.

Home should be little stress
It makes sense, if parents care for little stress in their own four walls. It is important that getting up is not connected with hecticness. So children can start the day without hurry and stress. "Family life has become hectic and parents are often out of the house in the morning," says Stefan Drewes from the German Psychologists Association (BDP)..

„Sufficient time for having breakfast together should become a solid ritual“, stresses also the social pedagogue Gritli Bertram. This also means awakening the child in good time so that there is enough time to have breakfast together. „Then the children can start the day with a good feeling and strengthened.“ If parents are told that their child experiences a lot of stress at school, they should do research for reasons. Are conflicts with classmates responsible for this? Is the son or daughter bothering before certain lessons? Even before class work, many students feel under enormous pressure. Regular contact with the teachers can cause many problems. „However, a consultation should not happen just before the class work“, advises the social worker. „This should happen with a bit of advance and not just one day before work, "said Drewes, who is the chairman of the School Psychology section of the BDP.

Exercise and boredom are important
Many movements can compensate. Because the children have to be attentive all school day to learn and sit still. Performance pressure should not be in the foreground here. "So do not make sure in the football club that my child is the best," says Drewes. Better are playful hobbies. In order for the child to find a calming post, there must also be times when not much happens. "Children may also be bored, they can come to rest and develop new ideas.“ The survey was undertaken by the Prosoz Social Research Institute and funded by Elefanten-Schuhe. (Sb)

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Picture: Jens Weber