Parents in our community, including myself can put a lot of pressure on our children to succeed. With an uncertain and changing global economy, it sometimes feels like our children have to be equipped with superior skills, experiences, work ethic and test scores to be competitive for entry to university and a career path.
Best-selling author Rosalind Wiseman of “Queen Bees and Wannabes” and other books on teens and children, reminds parents that the combination of a highly academically rigorous school and high-pressure parents may exhaust children. Her article in the Washington Post, tells the perspective of a grade 8 boy.
Wiseman asks parents to reflect on the questions below:
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Do I ever take the time to just look at my child?
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When I begin conversations with my child are they usually about something they haven’t done?
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Do I know what makes my child want to get up in the morning and start the day?
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Is there anything that I say that kills his/her spirit?
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What do I do to make my child feel seen and heard?
The article reminded me that our children are home for only a short time and 18 years goes by quickly. Enjoy their company! She finishes with some good advice for parents.
…the next time you see your child, especially at the end of the day, don’t greet them with a thousand even well-intentioned questions. Just say you love them, and you’re grateful they’re in your life.
TIS Director's Blog 
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