Stress and anxiety are seen as huge problems in our modern age but research shows that the right kind of stress is actually beneficial, especially for young people!

Stress is just our body’s response to a challenge and the key to good stress is managing and mastering that challenge. So when a teacher sets a challenging assignment and your child feels a moderate amount of stress or anxiety, encourage them to embrace the feeling and use it to tackle the challenge.

Good teachers know how to push students so they can do their best and reach their full potential, however, teachers can only do so much. Students need to respond by stretching themselves, embracing the challenges and managing the stress that accompanies the process.

Richard Friedman in The New York Times, June 2, 2018 writes; “They have found the sweet spot for stress: Too much or too little and people don’t do their best. Moderate amounts of stress stimulate the production of adrenaline and cortisol, which enhance the growth of neurons and boost learning, memory, performance and resilience.”

We are in that part of the term where assignments will soon be due and then exams take place for some of our year levels. Encourage your child not to be afraid of stress; embrace the feeling and use the anxiety to give it their best shot. If you think your child is becoming too stressed then remind them of my blog last week – good things come from failing when you do your best.

Mike Curtis, Principal