New research has revealed that the lives of today's tots are supposedly more stressful than that of their mums and dads in their own childhoods.
Almost 40% of parents in the survey, commissioned by pre-school show, Waybuloo*, claimed that their preschooler was experiencing stress. Two thirds of them attributing the stress to the increased breakdown of family units. The results of the survey also indicate a major trend among parents to seek out non traditional activities such as yoga to help their little ones unwind.
The survey, which quizzed over 1000 parents of preschool children, aimed to uncover adult's attitudes to stress and relaxation in the nation's under fives. Though the early years are generally considered the only stress-free time in life, a growing number of parents feel that the youngest members of their families had higher worry levels than they had in their own younger years. 'Breakdown of family' was most frequently cited as a contributing factor, with almost 60% of parents also expressing their concern that their own work or financial worries were having an impact on their preschooler's happiness.
Many of the respondents were looking for ways to help their children relax and an unbelievable 30% were actively considering tot's yoga classes or attending massage classes to maintain balance in their family life.
Fenella Lindsell, founder of Yogabugs explains;
"YogaBugs was created as a result of my step son George who was the innocent party in a challenging divorce. Through yoga he was able to release a lot of his anxiety. I believe that if you can help children to feel confident and in control of their lives through breathing, posture work and relaxation techniques, then you are laying healthier foundations for better physical, mental and emotional development ahead."¯
Other findings in the survey included:
 Children in the East of England were revealed as the least likely to be stressed
More parents in Wales than anywhere else felt their children's lives were more stressful. 32% of parents there felt violence and bad language on the TV and news contributed to this.
Parents in the South West were more likely to feel lack of one-to-one time with their kids was contributing to their stress levels.
November 2009
*Waybuloo is broadcast daily on CBeebies at 11.30am, 3pm and 6pm. The show focuses on relaxation and emotional wellbeing in preschoolers and includes unique elements such as yogo. | 
Autumn-Winter 2009 News
