Under Pressure

How to defuse before we explode!

by Becky May

Suitable for Key Stage 2

Aims

To consider how we can find ways to cope when we feel under pressure.

Preparation and materials

• You will need a can of fizzy drink and a large tray or bowl underneath it to catch the spillage. (It is worth practising this before the assembly!)

Assembly

1. Greet the children and say, ‘I wonder how you might be feeling today. I hope that you’re feeling good. We don’t always feel great though, do we?’
   
   You may wish to invite the children to respond.
   
   
2. Explain that, in today’s assembly, we’re going to think about some of our less-liked feelings and then talk about what we can do to help each other cope better when we experience these feelings.
   
   
3. Hold up the can of fizzy drink.
   
   Explain that we are going to consider how, when it comes to our feelings, we are a bit like this can of fizzy drink.
   
   Sometimes, things happen that put us under pressure. For example, we might have a football match coming up against a team that we know are much better than us . . .
   
   Give the can a shake.
   
   
4. We might have a school concert coming up where we will be singing a solo . . .
   
   Shake the can again.
   
   
5. Some of us might be taking part in a gymnastics competition or a grading in our swimming class . . .
   
   Shake the can again.
   
   
6. Perhaps we feel under pressure with some of the work that we have to do at school. We might have some special work or assessments to do, and sometimes, they can feel challenging for us . . .
   
   Shake the can again.
   
   
7. Sometimes, we have issues at home, such as parents losing their jobs or needing us to care for them . . .
   
   Shake the can again.
   
   
8. The problem is, when we feel under this much pressure, it builds up until . . .
   
   Open the can of fizzy drink, catching the spilled drink in the tray or bowl below.
   
   
9. None of us want to explode like this can of fizzy drink, so we need to find ways to deal with the pressure that we sometimes face.
   
   
10. Ask the children, ‘What can we do to help us cope when we feel under pressure?’
    
    Invite the children to share their ideas and talk about some of these.
    
    
11. Gather the children’s suggestions together and summarize their ideas.
    
    There are several good ideas to help us to cope under pressure.
    
    - Talking about how we are feeling. We may have heard the saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’. By talking to other people, we can get a fresh perspective on what we’re dealing with and often get some good advice.
    - Enjoying some time out. We should look for ways to unwind and do something different, just because we want to. Doing some exercise is a great way to enjoy some time out because it releases special chemicals in our brains, which help us to feel better about things.
    - Doing our best and knowing that we have done enough. We often put ourselves under more pressure than we need to because we want to do well. We need to learn to handle pressure by not expecting too much of ourselves.
    - Getting some help. Whether we’re talking to a parent, a teacher or an activity leader, talking about how we are feeling with the adults who care for us helps them to see how we are really feeling and how they can support us.

Time for reflection

We never want to feel under so much pressure that we will explode! There are always people we can speak to who will help us. We should also encourage each other, look out for each other and help each other to deal with pressure.

As we might expect, the Bible has a lot to say about anxiety and worry and how to cope with them.

A verse in Proverbs 12.25 encourages us to help one another by saying, ‘Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a good word makes it glad.’

Ask the children what they think this means.

Listen to a range of responses.

The verse is saying that we can all help to lighten the load, take off the pressure and show that we care by sharing ‘a good word’.

- What might we do to help relieve the pressure that might be experienced by those around us?
- What might we do to make our friends’ hearts ‘glad’?

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the way you care for us.
Thank you that you do not want us to feel under pressure.
Please help us to encourage and support each other.
Please help us not to worry, but to be able to rest in peace.
Please help us to share ‘a good word’ with others when they need it.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Keep the blues away’ by Fischy Music. An excerpt is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWuLC1eczTA (0.45 minutes long)