There is such a thing as too much pressure.
Although parents only want the best for their children, they must understand that too much of one thing is not as good as they think it is. According to News Straits Times, schoolchildren in Singapore are struggling to cope with the pressure to achieve academic excellence. So much that even primary school children are reporting symptoms of anxiety and stress. After facing long hours at school, they have to spend their time doing homework and revisions. And on top of that, their parents push them to attend tuition classes after school hours.
The dangers of pushing your child to achieve excellence
When did we decide that children shouldn’t be children? What happened to their playtime or their nap time? While high expectations can be healthy, constant pressure can be extremely harmful to them. For instance, children who are under constant pressure can experience anxiety and a high amount of stress. This can potentially put them at a greater risk of developing self-esteem issues, sleep deprivation, and in worse cases, mental health challenges. The same goes for young athletes. They might have to deal with a lot of pressure from school and parents to participate in sports despite their injuries to become the best.
And what most parents and teachers do not know is that when they focus too much on results, children are more likely to cheat. With the amount of pressure put on them to perform well, they will do whatever they can to obtain that desired result, even if it means cheating their way out of it. And what if they failed to bring those achievements? If they are not the best at such a young age as their teachers and parents expect them to be, children may give up and refuse to participate. The constant pressure to succeed can and might just disrupt their opportunities to grow and learn independently.
But when is it okay to push your child?
As mentioned above, high expectations can be healthy. However, it must come with the necessary support and guidance. Just because you want them to excel in sports does not mean they want to excel in sports. Instead of pushing them to do things you want them to do, discover their interest and let them have a say in what they want.
If they push back, communicate with them to find out what is stopping them from participating in certain activities. Working together with your child to find a healthy solution can help them get out of their comfort zone while also being interested in what they do. Remember to restrain yourself from pushing too hard too early. Of course, as a parent, you tend to understand what is best for your child, but giving them too much pressure is unhealthy.
What you can do instead is to slowly encourage them to take action and offer rewards upon every big or small achievement. And see to it that your child completes everything they signed up for because experts say this is a great way to teach your child to commit and take responsibility for their actions. For instance, if they sign up for a dance lesson, they must attend all six dance lessons even if they find out midway that other classes are more fun.
As a parent, always encourage your child to do their best. But the emphasis should be on the process and not the result. See how they are progressing each day and give them a space to be seen and heard. This will further encourage them to succeed.
Why it’s important to mix studies with play
Play matters because children can learn a lot through play. It helps to build their confidence and give them a sense of their abilities. And because play is fun, children are often absorbed in it. But too much of one thing isn’t good, which is why mixing play with studies is very important.
One thing to keep in mind is that health is critical to performing well in academics. And ignoring play in a child’s life will only make their life duller and may just affect their health and well-being. Play helps children to relax, improve their social skills, and increase their attention span. More importantly, it proves to them that learning is so much more than just striving to be the best or obtaining full test scores. It tells them that learning, when done right, can be fun and exciting!
Children are constantly learning new things through different learning methods. Just like how academics are important, it’s also important for them to grow as a person. Our classes at Young Engineers Singapore take into account these criteria to ensure that our children are independent, intelligent, and resilient. For more information about our enrichment programmes, get in touch with us now or email us at admin@youngengineers.sg.