We all have times when life is stressful. We tend to think that babies and young children are too young to understand, but they do get stressed.

Babies and children feel stress in their bodies and reflect it in their behavior. If stress lasts for a long time, it can affect the development of your child's brain. It is very important to recognize the signs of stress in children; eating problems, difficulty sleeping, regression in abilities, excessive attachment to mom or dad, headaches, stomach aches, fears, nightmares, and behavior problems may be stress-related.

Stress is something everyone experiences and it is important to teach children to react to stress in an appropriate way. Your child will learn how to react to stress through the example you set. Children often do not understand why they feel stressed. We can help them by naming the feelings they feel and assuring them that it will be okay. You can help your child feel safe through your love and protection. Love, affection and physical contact are the best recipe for protecting your child when it comes to stress.