Dr. Tarun

For parents, recognising the signs of emotional distress early — and learning to respond with understanding rather than alarm — is critical to ensuring children’s emotional wellbeing

Andrew John

Generation Z and Generation Alpha children are growing up in a world unlike any their parents or grandparents knew. The pressures confronting them begin early and rarely abate — constant digital media screen exposure, online bullying, intense academic expectations and stress, social media addiction and relentless peer pressure. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a rising number of children are reporting heightened levels of emotional stress. For parents, recognising the signs of emotional distress early — and learning to respond with understanding rather than alarm — is critical to ensuring children’s emotional wellbeing.

“The pressures contemporary children face differ drastically from those experienced by previous generations. While academic stress persists, these days children are also expected to excel in sports, extracurricular activities, communication skills, and social behaviour. Add to this the overwhelming influence of social media which has created an unhealthy environment of comparison, validation-seeking, and cyberbullying. Children are constantly absorbing content beyond their emotional maturity. The result is that an increasing number of children are reporting emotional distress such as high anxiety, irritability, low self-esteem and depression,” says Dr. Tarun Singh, Consultant, Pediatrics & Neonatology, Bhagwan Das Hospital and Kalpavriksh Healthcare, Sonipat.

Symptoms

According to Dr. Singh, children rarely verbalise emotional pain. Instead, it spills into everyday behaviour. He advises parents to watch for the following symptoms of emotional distress in children:

• Increased irritability or anger
• Social withdrawal from family and friends
• Decline in academic performance
• Loss of interest in once enjoyable activities
• Difficulty in sleeping, frequent nightmares
• Headache, stomach and/or body pain without medical reason
• Excessive dependence on mobile phones and digital screens
• Separation anxiety
• Negative self-talk/ sentiments of worthlessness

“These signs are not attention-seeking. They are attention-needing signals. They indicate that a child’s emotional capacity is stretched beyond comfort. More serious warnings include expressions of hopelessness, drastic behaviour changes, and talk of self-harm — all of which require immediate professional help,” adds Dr. Singh.

What parents can do

Dr. Singh says parents can do a lot to create nurturing home environments that minimise stress and support their children towards developing into emotionally resilient adults. His recommendations:

Listen without interrupting. Allow children to express their thoughts without interruption. Avoid dismissive phrases such as “Don’t overthink,” “Everyone feels this,” or “You’re being dramatic.”

Validate their feelings. Even if a situation seems small, the emotion is real. Acknowledging emotions of distress builds trust.

Observe more than you question. Behaviour patterns speak louder than words. Watch out for changes in daily routine, appetite loss, poor social interaction, attitude, sleep deprivation.

Reduce digital screen time. Sudden restrictions increase parent-child conflict. Replace time spent on digital screens with engaging alternatives such as sports, outdoor nature activities, reading, conversation.

Prioritise sleep. Healthy sleep regulates mood, attention, and emotional stability. It also boosts immunity and overall well-being.

Encourage outdoor and physical activity. Exercise reduces stress, improves mood, and boosts confidence.

Model healthy emotional behaviour. Children learn from adults — express and manage your own emotions with confidence.

Seek timely professional support. Early counselling support enables children to understand their emotions and develop resilience. Seeking professional advice is an act of caring, not failure.