Ep. 5 - Breaking Away from Toxic Achievement Culture with Jennifer Breheny Wallace

If you’re not convinced that pushing your child to succeed can put their mental health at risk, this conversation is the wakeup call you need.  Jennifer Breheny Wallace wrote the breakthrough book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It, urging parents to draw the line between encouragement and pressure. An award-winning journalist and author, Wallace uncovered links between children at “high achieving schools”-both public and private-and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Most importantly, Wallace offers hope! She reframes how we talk to our children about their role in their family and in their community, and answers the looming question that parents must answer: “So what now?” Wallace insists this is not an anti-achievement book-but messaging matters.In this must-hear episode she shares her trademark tips, including:*the role of “mattering” in a child’s journey through school and beyond*specific steps to help your child matter beyond their grades, skills, and talents*the vocabulary to help disconnect a child’s achievement from their self worth*why household chores are critically important and how to link chores with your child’s individual strengths*how we moms can bolster ourselves, boosting our child’s knack for resilience  The studies Wallace sources in her book include a 2019 government report and further research by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Join us!Find us at thelocalmomsnetwork.comFollow us on IG @thelocalmomsnetworkSend us your ideas for our next podcast!Email [email protected]