Stress isn't always a terrible thing. It can encourage a child to master a new skill, such as shooting a ball, performing a part in a school play or to change his domineering behavior that prevents him from making friends. As for the negative kind, this can have some serious effect on the child's mental, emotional and physical well being. For us parents, we need to learn how to spot and short-circuit concealed sources of stress in kids before they can harm your child.

Here are some common stress points for children and ways on how we can combat or reduce its effects on our kids.

Living with Too Much Noise

Continuous noise can be very stressful and this affects a child's concentration and drive. Researches have shown that preschoolers in a classroom which was noisy due to bad acoustics had inferior language skills than kids in a class without the commotion. Children tune out speech to protect themselves, and that can hamper their education. What's more, these kids weren't as determined at finishing tasks - they gave up sooner when trying to solve a puzzle. Lack of control over the noise made them feel powerless, as if they couldn't control anything.

Similarly, constant commotions at home have been shown to cause learning setbacks as well as increased stress and trouble adjusting to new situations. The day-to-day racket of say, a clunky air conditioner, noisy TV, crying baby, and droning vacuum is enough din to affect a child.

To avoid this, minimize upsetting or unwanted noise. Don't vacuum near your child while he's playing if it seems to irritate him, for instance. And, again, try to give kids a sense of control over their environment. Show an older kid how to adjust the volume on the TV and make sure there's a quiet space where he can always getaway to in your home.