Description
Research shows that stress in the crucial early years of a child's life can pose dramatic, lasting challenges to development, learning, and behavior. This is the practical book early childhood professionals need to recognize stress in young children—and intervene with proven relief strategies before pressures turn into big problems.
Developed by celebrated early childhood expert Alice Sterling Honig, this guidebook helps readers address the most common causes of stress in a young child's life, including separation anxiety, bullying, jealousy, and family circumstances. Educators and childcare providers will
- understand key factors that influence a child's stress level, including attachment, temperament, developmental and learning challenges, health issues, and family pressures
- become a keen observer of the varied and sometimes subtle ways that children express stress
- choose from a wide range of stress-busting techniques—all innovative, time-tested, and clinically validated
- personalize stress-busters to meet the needs of individual children
- skillfully use stress-reducing strategies with groups of children from diverse backgrounds
- harness the power of storytelling to model solutions to problems and help children address negative feelings
- avoid burnout by handling the stresses in their own adult lives, from challenging interactions with parents to issues with co-workers
Memorable stories inspired by Dr. Honig's 30+ years of experience show readers how these stress-busters can make a real difference in children's lives, and the questions at the end of each chapter are ideal aids for self-study or professional development courses. Packed with down-to-earth, easy-to-use ideas, this empowering book gives professionals the tools they need to conquer stress in any early childhood setting—so children can develop the early social and academic skills they'll need to succeed in school.
Learn how to use these proven stress-busters:
- making environmental adjustments
- redirecting rather than reprimanding
- supporting a child's self-soothing methods
- teaching problem-solving strategies
- taking the child's perspective
- providing verbal reassurance
- soothing through gentle physical contact
- using open-ended questions to pinpoint a child's fears
- and much more!
Reviews
Review: Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education
"A book that will challenge assumptions about children's behavior and emotional development, while also challenging assumptions of the role of emotional learning in today's early childhood classrooms, an aspect that is far too often cast aside in favor of more academic pursuits."
Review: PsycCRITIQUES, December 2010
"Gives early childhood educators a tool box of ideas . . . on supporting children living in stressful situations. A summary of best practices in early childhood education."
Review by: Gail Perry, Young Children
"...underscores the need to recognize and alleviate worrisome stressors in the lives of young children as early as infancy...This book provides practical and sensitive tools to address this compelling concern."
Review by: Bernard Spodek, Professor Emeritus of Early Childhood Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
"A book to help teachers understand and deal with stress among young children, parents, and teachers themselves . . . should find a place in the libraries of both veteran and novice teachers."
Review by: Edward Zigler, Sterling Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, Yale University; Director, Emeritus, The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy; Former Chief, U.S. Children's Bureau
"This highly respected scholar presents a valuable antidote to the current academic emphasis in early education. Using an appropriate whole child approach, she provides practitioners with those tools required to reduce young children's stress which we know to be a major barrier to children's optimal education."
Review by: Virginia Buysse, Senior Scientist, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Finally, an authoritative resource that offers parents and professionals a wealth of information about how to recognize signs of stress in the lives of young children, and more importantly, practical suggestions for what to do about it."
Review by: Edna Ranck, President, OMEP-USA, The World Organization for Early Childhood Education, Washington, DC
"Amazingly practical advice on understanding how family, school and public events and relationships influence children's behavior. The stress-reducing strategies will really benefit both children and the adults who care for and teach them."
Review by: Richard Lambert, Professor, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
"Offers very helpful resources to teachers including a framework for recognizing, understanding, and supporting children displaying stress in the classroom."
Review by: Sue Bredekamp, Early Childhood Education Consultant
"Strikes the perfect balance between reducing stress and protecting children from harm while also promoting their coping skills and resilience. This powerful book is packed with practical strategies for teachers."
Review by: Bettye Caldwell, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
"Anything Alice Honig writes is a treasure, and this book is no exception."
Table of Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgments
- Understanding Stress in Children's Lives
- Sources and Signs of Stress
- Insights About Stress: Reflecting and Reframing
- Choosing Stress-Busting Techniques to Help Children
- Personalizing Stress-Reducing Strategies for Children
- Using Stress-Reducing Strategies with Groups of Children
- Using Storytelling to Relieve Child Stresses
- Adult Stress Busters in Care Settings and Schools: Working with Parents, Personnel, Home Visitors, Supervisors, Mental Health Professionals, and Consultants
- Personalizing Stress-Busting Ideas for Adults Caring for Children
References
Children's Book Bibliography
Internet Resources
Index