The Hurried Child Syndrome
Marisa Schaldach
What is it?
A condition in which parents push children to over-achieve, over-schedule children, and want their children to behave as small adults.
Putting too much on a child's plate can cause the hurried child syndrome
Children are being made to act like robots instead of children.
Having children act and dress like adults can rush a child's development.
What causes it?
There are many things that can cause the Hurried Child Syndrome. A few causes include:
-Placing children in too many activities
-Pushing children to achieve high academic success
-Peer Pressure at school
-Television/famous people and bad role models
-Lack of sleep and fun time
How to identify it
Children experiencing the hurried child syndrome may exhibit characteristics such as:
-Acting out/inappropriate behavior
-Overly-emotional
-Odd sleeping patterns
-Changing eating schedules
-Aggitated or irritable
-Lack of Concentration
How to prevent it
There are many things a parent can do to prevent the hurried child syndrome. By making sure that children get adequate play time, as well as making sure the child is getting proper sleep and not being over-scheduled can help to prevent the hurried child syndrome. Treating children like children instead of adults will help let the child enjoy a stress free childhood.