How Can Parents Help?

ONE educational organization in the United States challenges high school students: “Show your willingness to push yourself to the limit.” Driven to reach their goals, some young people go beyond the limit of their stamina. Madeline Levine, mentioned in the preceding article, wrote: “Between accelerated academic courses, multiple extracurricular activities, premature preparation for high school or college, special coaches and tutors engaged to wring the last bit of performance out of them, many kids find themselves scheduled to within an inch of their lives.” Students in that position can suffer physical and emotional harm.

If you are concerned about the stress your child faces in school, go to the school yourself. Talk with the teachers, counselors, and administrators. Tell them what you observe. You have the right to do so.

The Bible encourages parents to pay close attention to their children’s development. Moses told parents in the nation of Israel: “You must inculcate them [God’s laws] in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.”​—Deuteronomy 6:7.

Intense interest in your child’s education is not an intrusion. It shows that your child has your loving support. And that can go a long way in reducing your young one’s stress at school.

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Talk about your child’s stress level with his teachers and counselors