AI Generated Image via WordPress
Balancing academics, athletics and friendships can push even the most capable kids to their limits. For parents, the real challenge lies in recognizing when healthy ambition crosses the line into anxiety — when the drive to succeed begins to harm a child’s overall well-being.
Some signs are more subtle than others, says school counselor Jennifer Licate, so it’s important to recognize both the physical and behavioral clues. Frequent headaches, stomachaches, or digestive issues before a big game or test may point to anxiety — but less obvious signals, like withdrawing from activities they once loved, can be just as telling.
“You know your child best. You know their history. You know their disposition and the things they like to do. If your child has always loved going to soccer practice and suddenly doesn’t want to go, starts complaining about it — that’s a really big sign,” said Licate, whose chapter book My Anxiety is Messing Things Up centers on a hardworking student athlete named Oscar who feels the relentless pressure to be perfect — in school, in sports and in friendships.
Click here to continue reading…
