(303) 979-9077
(303) 979-9077
[email protected]No matter where your kids are schooling this year, they are likely experiencing more stress than normal which is saying a lot after the first week of school. We all know that in a normal school year the first week is new, scary and full of unknowns; but this year takes the cake with the additional challenges caused by COVID-19. While kids are trying to conform to all the COVID-related changes, they’re also trying to bridge the knowledge gap due to school closures last spring and learn this years’ new material. They may be feeling overwhelmed by the extra pressure and stress this year is bringing.
All of this is why we wanted to share a very interesting – and what we believe to be incredibly valuable – Ted Talk by Kelly McGonigal (parents may just want to watch and then share what they learn as she does share stats on death rates associated with stress): “How to Make Stress Your Friend.” In this talk, Kelly McGonigal explains that we have been taught as we grow up to believe that our stress signals are something to fear and avoid – but that instead we should view them as helpful in preparing us for the challenge ahead.
“When you change your mind about stress, you can change your body’s response to stress.” Kelly McGonigal, Ted Talk: How to Make Stress Your Friend
She describes the physical signals that your body gives off when you’re stressed and how if you change the way you think about these signals, you can literally make stress your superpower! Physical changes due to stress include: a pounding heart, breathing faster, sweating… we all know these feelings well, and know the next step is usually panic and fear. But, Kelly McGonigal says, “What if you viewed them as signs that your body was energized, was preparing you to meet this challenge?... That pounding heart is preparing you for action. If you’re breathing faster, it’s no problem. It’s getting more oxygen to your brain. And participants who learned to view the stress response as helpful for their performance, well, they were less stressed out, less anxious, more confident…”
“When you choose to view your stress response as helpful, you create the biology of courage… You’re saying that you can trust yourself to handle life’s challenges.”
Kelly McGonigal, Ted Talk: How to Make Stress Your Friend
She goes on to explain that changing how you view your stress will not only help you overcome the hurdle that is right in front of you, but will improve your health overall. We know that being in a state of stress is physically and mentally exhausting… however she found that changing how you view stress changes how your body reacts to it as well! Meaning your heart actually has a healthier response because your blood vessels aren’t constricting, instead they’re staying relaxed. If you don’t have that spiked state of stress and physical discomfort, you won’t have the exhaustion of having to deal with and rebound from it.
In her talk, Kelly McGonigal even explains that when they tested this theory, they intentionally asked participants math questions and made them feel rushed and bad about themselves as they tried to answer. We’re aware that in general math is a class that causes added stress for most students; but believe that this year they may feel even more unsure of themselves due to everything else going on. While adjusting your child’s outlook on stress will alleviate some discomfort and give them more confidence to take on the challenges, you want to ensure they don’t have any skill gaps. If they are missing knowledge from last year, we can help! In-center or online, we have the supplemental solution that’s right for YOUR family. Call, text or email today!
Mathnasium of Littleton
(303) 979-9077
