The Hurried Child
Kyra Grandall
What is the Hurried Child Syndrome
The hurried child syndrome is when a child is forced to grow up to fast, is over scheduled, is pushed to excel academically, and is expected to be the perfect miniature adult. The problem with this is that kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore and are overwhelmed. Instead of spending their summers playing, they spend them running from activity to activity or taking extra summer classes to help them succeed academically. This causes kids to be stressed and end up depressed. Childhood is no longer fun and kids are growing up to fast! They need to learn to fail, to play, and how to have fun!
Causes
Many things can lead to a child being hurried including...
- Over scheduling of extracurricular activities
- Television
- Rejection
- Pressure from parents to be the best (academically and sports wise)
- Society
- Internet
- To many adult responsibilities
- No time for play
- Having no family time
The TV and internet cause kids to see things that they are not old enough for. Their is no protection for childhood anymore. What use to be rated R is now rated a PG-13 movie and this is a prime example how childhood is changing. Children are so worried about grades and activities that they don't have time to actually be a kid. When kids don't have a time to play, which is a good stress reliever, they become stressed and overwhelmed.
Prevention
There are many ways to stop or prevent the hurried child syndrome. One way is to limit the activities your child can participate in and set up time for family time. Another way is to set up a specific time for play. Also families can sit down at the dinner table and eat a meal together. This makes the child feel like they are part of the family and that you have time for them. You also can set restrictions on what they can see on TV or the internet so they aren't forced to grow up to fast. Another good tip is to just let kids be kids! Let them play, make mistakes, and do some silly stuff because that's what childhood is about. The last thing you can do is be involved with your child's life. Make sure you have time for you and your child to play together!