Stress Management

It is easy for a child to get overwhelmed, especially with school and the many activities that they have. As parents, identifying breaking points early is crucial to turn the situation around.

- Tina Maria

Trying to maintain that perfectly balanced schedule for your kids is a work in progress. This is something that Chaya Mahtaney, mother to eight-year-old Tej in Primary 3 and seven-year-old Tyra in Primary 1, is well aware of. Besides regular school hours, they also have strategically allotted Mandarin classes – every other day, no more than one hour at a time, and only as many times a week as absolutely necessary.

Beyond that, all other activities are selected to keep Tej and Tyra physically active and to stimulate their creativity – things like soccer, piano, ballet, art, and swimming. “We think that’s very important for kids. And with the weather in Singapore, they might not otherwise go outdoors,” she shares. However Chaya freely admits that it makes for a hectic day, especially because she wants the kids in bed by 7:30pm each evening, at least for as long as she can, to protect their health and well-being. “After their homework is done, that leaves no free time during the week.”

WHEN IS TOO MUCH, TOO MUCH?

Chaya tries the best she can to keep the stress of the family’s daily balancing act at bay. Yet it’s a fine line. There is probably an ideal combination of tuition, scheduled activities, homework, playtime, family time, and sleep to keep a child from going over the stress cliff. However, as the child progresses in age, parents lose control of the quantity and quality of some of these factors.