All moms have one thing in common — we want our kids to succeed.
But with children taking on more and more responsibilities and pressure, it turns out the quest to be perfect is not only unattainable, it is seriously harming our kids.
And if there was any doubt at the cost of perfection, this latest report by a group of experts will alarm you.
It typically starts off like this.
A child becomes involved in a plethora of extracurricular activities – from soccer to baseball, to art classes and ballet – our children are busy!
On top of that, teachers are facing pressure to maintain high testing scores, which in turn stresses out the child and increases the need to perform.
And let’s be honest, the end of the school year doesn’t mean the end of pressure, as many children are involved in summer leagues and contests, giving them no time to rest.
Besides school and play, many children face pressure at home due to family troubles, sickness, or other personal issues.
And the result?
The stress is causing chronic pain in our children.
In addition, children are becoming stressed and overwhelmed with the pressure to succeed and reach unattainable standards, and they are becoming anxious and depressed.
According to psychologists, this is a growing epidemic.
Scary Mommy reported:
“As a psychologist in the Pain Treatment Service at Boston Children’s Hospital, I see firsthand how unrealistic performance expectations may be contributing not only to anxiety and sadness, but also to a growing epidemic of stress-based or stress-exacerbated chronic pain syndromes.
It’s healthy for kids to challenge their minds and bodies on a consistent basis by engaging with a variety of activities and learning opportunities. And, upholding high expectations for our children to succeed can help instill good work ethics.”
It’s not wrong to want our children to do well, but we must be careful we aren’t placing unnecessary pressure on them.
Sure, we should challenge our kids to excel, but there is a line between excellence and perfection.
And moms, please remember, your child looks to you as a role model.
If you too are skipping sleep to pull all-nighters on a regular basis, your child will mirror your actions.
It’s important to teach your child the benefits and necessity of rest.
Help them to prioritize activities.
If they have a long list of sports they’d love to partake in, work with them to determine which activities they really want to do.
And teach them at a young age, they can’t have it all.
Because stressed out kids, turn into stressed out adults.
Many moms wish they would have learned how to prioritize at a young age!
In addition, teach your child how to deal with stress.
Showing them ways to decompress like taking a deep breath or a walk around the block is setting them up to have healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress when they experience it.
And we all know, stress is inevitable, so teaching your child these skills is invaluable.
What are some ways you help your child to prioritize activities in your home?
Were you surprised to learn just how dangerous the quest for perfection really is?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
And to stay current on the latest Mommy Underground stories, follow us on Facebook and be sure to like and share our posts!