The Well-Balanced Child

Jim LobdellChallenge Success

Stanford University School of Education

Session Objectives Explore the demands placed on children and their time

today Examined how today’s fast-paced, high-pressure

culture can have unintentional but detrimental effects on kids

Share simple strategies families can use to counter the fast-paced culture and allow healthy development

Introduction How do you define success? What are the

characteristics of a successful person?

Andy Bishus, HS Junior Tough academic load (2 AP’s, 2 Honors, 3-4 hrs

of HW/day) Varsity and club water polo Class president, Key Club member, Academic

Decathlon team Works 6 hrs/week as paid tutor Member of church youth group

Findings from Denise Pope’s Doing School

“People don’t go to school to learn.

They go to get good grades,

which brings them to college,

which brings them the high paying job, which brings them to happiness,

or so they think.”

Kevin Romoni, Grade 10

National/Local Findings Performance pressure “Robo-students”

Cheating Lack of engagement Remediation

Health tolls Anxiety and depression Sleep deprivation Drugs and alcohol

Where are our future inventors, entrepreneurs, and artists?

Meet the DeGratis Family DeGratis Dad: Hard-working business professional,

doting father DeGratis Mom: Part-time business consultant, primary

caregiver to her two children, well-read on parenting issues, devoted to be a great mother

DeGratis Kids: Ages 6 and 8

DebriefWhat is the upside of this schedule? What is the

downside? As you discuss this, consider how the schedule affects:

Mom The children Dad

The Benefits of Play Play = freely chosen, personally directed, and intrinsically motivated Essential to healthy brain development, higher order thinking,

language development, and SEL Develops imagination and creativity Teaches how to make friends, work in groups, share, negotiate,

resolve conflicts, rebound from mistakes, advocate for self Allows kids to miniaturize their world and practice adult roles Provides opportunities for leadership and decision-making Enables kids to follow passions Builds healthy bodies

Strategies for Parenting Define success on your terms

Maintain play time, down time, family time

Allow kids space to develop on their own, make mistakes, and have “successful failures”

Ease performance pressure and focus on what matters most

Strategies for Parenting

Be the voice of reason and focus on “right fit” schools

Build responsibility at home

Trust your gut and resist parent peer pressure

Seek mentors

Resources Elkind, David. The Power of Play Elkind. The Hurried Child Ginsberg, Ken. AAP Report: The Importance of Play. . . Levine, Madeline. The Price of Privilege Mogel, Wendy. The Blessings of a Skinned Knee and

The Blessings of a B Minus www.challengesuccess.org