| It’s hard to believe that summer is over. Back to school sales are everywhere and children all over the country are beginning to display that hunted look. Time is running out. School is starting.
On Monday, my wife and I had the pleasure of escorting our two boys back to school.
Although we were relieved to have our kids go back, there was a part of us that was sad. After all, our kids are growing up. Each new school year is a milestone. A constant reminder that time is passing. Our children grow up too fast.
As I write this article, I am struck by just how true this statement really is. Children today are savvier than our generation. They have far more opportunities than we had, but at the same time they are dealing with far more restrictions. Our expectations of children have changed as well. More and more children are being treated like miniature adults.
As a parent, I am aware that children need to grow up. The pace that we are allowing our children to do it however is alarming to me. Many of my patients have voiced similar feelings.
Society is becoming obsessed with pressuring our children to grow up quickly. Magazine ads market special lines of makeup and deodorant to young girls. Radio ads warn parents that children may be left behind if they don’t learn a second language. These ads prey on our insecurities. After all, no one wants a smelly kid that can’t speak French.
So what do we do? We schedule. It starts off innocently at first: A dance lesson here, a soccer lesson there. Bit by bit the schedules increase: music, art lessons, modeling class. Between school, homework, and extracurricular activities, our children are maintaining schedules more rigorous than politicians on a campaign trail.
The push for perfection is taking its toll. Our children are becoming stressed and anxious. We are raising a generation that doesn’t know the value of free play or the bliss of a totally unstructured afternoon. To coin a phrase, we are creating a nation of baby burnout’s.
This article is not a tirade against classes or clubs. It is a call for moderation: A plea for balance. Childhood is a just a brief moment in our kid’s lives. Let’s give them the permission to enjoy it.
More columns by Dr. Janousky > Index
|
