More and more children are suffering from stress and sleep problems

Already 11-year-olds suffer from stress: Experts demand less pressure for children

Carefree play with friends while completely forgetting the time. For a majority of children, this idea has nothing to do with reality anymore. Stress and overburden stress their everyday life. This also has health consequences. Experts therefore demand more free and self-determined time for children and adolescents.

Performance pressure is also increasing in children

English exam, lessons until 3 pm, then directly home and back to the desk to do a mountain of homework. For many students a normal and everyday scenario. In the meantime, every fifth young person in Germany suffers from stress. According to experts, the pressure to perform is coming more and more often and earlier to the children. And that beats on health. For example, sufferers suffer from abdominal pain, headaches, tiredness, lack of energy and sleep problems. Experts are now demanding more free and self-determined time for children and adolescents.

Exams, homework, pressure from parents: More and more children are exposed to increasing stress. That also damages the health.
Experts therefore demand more free and self-determined time for children and adolescents. (Image: Focus Pocus LTD / fotolia.com)

Almost every third eleven-year-old suffers from sleep problems

As the Swiss foundation "Pro Juventute" reports on its website, today almost every third eleven-year-old suffers from sleep problems.

According to the experts, studies show that stress has only negative effects - affected children and adolescents feel unwell and often have low self-esteem.

Above all, the fear of many parents for the future of their offspring is a driving factor for the pressure that weighs on the little ones. In extreme cases, games are even equated with useless pastime.

But "the research confirms that the development of the children by playing is decisively promoted", writes the director of "Pro Juventute", Katja Wiesendanger, in a contribution.

Less pressure for children

For this reason, the foundation is convinced that "we should give children first and foremost something besides love: time in which they can recover and move, and time in which they get to know their strengths and interests," said Wiesendanger.

"We wish happy children who are motivated and cheerful. And I firmly believe that they are best equipped for the future when they can just be more children again. "

To achieve this, the Foundation launched the campaign "Less pressure. More child "started against stress in the nursery. Parents and guardians, but also schools and training companies, should be made aware of the problem and be moved to reduce the stress of young people.

To counter the problem, other professionals may find it useful to practice relaxation with the children to prevent stress. In addition to progressive muscle relaxation (progressive muscle relaxation) offer here, among other autogenic training or yoga, which is also offered in different cities explicitly for children. (Ad)