What is a major stressor for children middle infancy to preschool age?

Question

What is a major stressor for children middle infancy to preschool age?

Answer 1

Excessive punishment or fear of punishment.  Children need to feel safe and to reasonably predict their environment.  They gradually learn what makes "their" adults happy and what causes outbursts.  If the adults are unpredictable and they punish either excessively or at whim, the children will experience stress.  Since they can't figure out what triggers punishment, they may either behave wildly or become timid.  Neither is good.

Answer 2

Major stresses for children middle infancy to preschool age:

Not getting enough sleep

Not having a consistent routine

Not having consistent discipline

One parents suddenly becoming 'absent' (due to death, work travel..)

Children like to know what to expect.  They thrive in an environment that is comfortable to them.  It is a comfortable environment to them if they know what is expected of them (consistent discipline) and if they know what to expect to happen (consistent routine).

Children also thrive in an environment where they feel secure, accepted, loved and valued.