Welcome to Kathy Seal's Website and Blog

Archives

Tags


The Overscheduling Myth

Activities keep kids happy and healthy

Dealing with the pressures parents face today

The Overscheduling Myth

November 20, 2008

Tags: childhood depression, criticizing parents, free time, extracurricular, kids, overscheduling, overscheduling myth, parental involvement, parenting, Pressured Parents, parenting, pushing kids, self-esteem, shyness, stressed-out kids

Why do we love to criticize other parents for overscheduling their kids?

Maybe it’s a way to justify the choices that you’ve made. “You’ve decided this isn’t your lifestyle,” says sociologist Sandra Hofferth, “and rejected those of other people.”

There’s probably more criticism of overscheduling in America today than (more…)

Bailing Kids Out -- Is it Really So Bad?

September 16, 2008

Tags: Kids' mistakes, bailing kids out, parenting, helping kids, helicopter parents, parental involvement

Conventional wisdom has it that we shouldn't bail our kids out of sticky situations or failures, because then they won't learn from their mistakes. You might think that since I've coauthored a book on pressured parents and warned acting on the anxiety we feel when our kids compete, that I'd say "Hold off. Let (more…)

Books and Articles

Books and Articles
Saying No to Kids in a Yes Culture
Why Limits are Good for Kids
Marketing of Colleges Increases Family Stress
A Better Way to Choose a College
Pay to Learn Shortchanges Kids
What the research tells us