Posted by: Tera on December 20, 2007 7:19AM EST It's out of hand because our child has to be the smartest and the best at everything today. When you see a group of parents sitting around talking,it's usually about our kids. I feel so sorry for todays generation. Society has become out of hand. When I hear all the different activities these kids are involved in. I know I couldn't do it. In order to get into a good college your resume has to be book. I don't know what the answer is, but our kids are burning out. I've heard so may times from parents of seniors there son or daughter has started to rebel. There tired and fed up with competing. Or they go off to college and end up coming home because no one was there to push them. The educators have to stop pushing for there schools rankings. Parents have to stop trying to make there kid the best at everything. Plus everyone needs to mind there own buisness about what other kids are doing. We think our kids don't hear things, they do. If there not the best they think there stupid and there self esteem is shot. I love my kids and try and tell them to do your best. I've learned first hand what happens when someone is pushed to far.

Posted by: Tera on November 22, 2007 6:34AM EST Great topic but unless the kids themselves say enough,nothing will change. Parents have spoken out on the pressures on our kids, but it's all about the rankings not the kids. My son is in the 10th grade at a high ranking school. He's a quiet and laid back and you never know how anxious he is about school. That to me is not teaching my son anything but frustration. For the above average kid they do well. But the average to below average kid it's very stressful. I don't know what the answer is. Statically when kids are stressed and anxious they look for things to make them feel better. Drugs.drinking is on the rise. I recently read about the CDC report on suicide from the stress our children are feeling. This would be a great feature for the news to do. Ask some kids from local schools at random in an open discussion and see what they say. Our kids today are very insightful,let's here their voices.

Posted by: Ginger on September 22, 2007 4:47PM EST Dorothy -- what is the location of your blog? Maybe we can link to each other's some time!

Posted by: Dorothy Stahlnecker on September 20, 2007 6:35AM EST I agree,and there seems to be no place for kids to just be kids. Which means they go from one pressure pot to another. How long before it blows? Good post. Dorothy from grammology the self help blog..

Posted by: Daisy on September 18, 2007 9:52AM EST I hear the same conversations all the time also. I have a sophomore, and now it seems all we (the parents) have to talk about are all the same things your describing. I remember when the kids where younger it was, What pre-school did you get into? Then where are you going after 6th grade? What high school will we pick, now faces me with my 8th grader. Not to mention the college issue's in 2 years. It's exhausting!!!! I don't remember my parents having these types of discussions with us. How has it all just gotten so out of hand? I for one think so, but I will be making the rounds of high schools this winter!