Do you want to create a stressed-out child?

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You’ve seen “helicopter” parents. They hover on the sidelines at the soccer game, yelling, chewing their player out, and rarely praising. You’ve seen the result of their overbearing pressure in the classroom as they push push push their children to achieve too much too fast. Maybe you’re guilty of a little too much hovering yourself.

 

“Pushing your children into situations they are not developmentally prepared for is far more likely to create a sense of insecurity than a sense of competence,” said Dr. Tim Riley, a psychologist and author of the award-winning book First the Broccoli, Then the Ice Cream: A Parent’s Guide to Deliberate Discipline.

 

Unrealistic expectations can lead to overwhelmed and underperforming kids. Parents can create stressed-out kids with the following actions, according to Dr. Riley, who then offers some perspective on toning back expectations.

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