the well-balanced child jim lobdell challenge success stanford university school of education
TRANSCRIPT
The Well-Balanced Child
Jim LobdellChallenge Success
Stanford University School of Education
Session Objectives Explore the demands placed on children and their time
today Examined how today’s fast-paced, high-pressure
culture can have unintentional but detrimental effects on kids
Share simple strategies families can use to counter the fast-paced culture and allow healthy development
Introduction How do you define success? What are the
characteristics of a successful person?
Andy Bishus, HS Junior Tough academic load (2 AP’s, 2 Honors, 3-4 hrs
of HW/day) Varsity and club water polo Class president, Key Club member, Academic
Decathlon team Works 6 hrs/week as paid tutor Member of church youth group
Findings from Denise Pope’s Doing School
“People don’t go to school to learn.
They go to get good grades,
which brings them to college,
which brings them the high paying job, which brings them to happiness,
or so they think.”
Kevin Romoni, Grade 10
National/Local Findings Performance pressure “Robo-students”
Cheating Lack of engagement Remediation
Health tolls Anxiety and depression Sleep deprivation Drugs and alcohol
Where are our future inventors, entrepreneurs, and artists?
Meet the DeGratis Family DeGratis Dad: Hard-working business professional,
doting father DeGratis Mom: Part-time business consultant, primary
caregiver to her two children, well-read on parenting issues, devoted to be a great mother
DeGratis Kids: Ages 6 and 8
DebriefWhat is the upside of this schedule? What is the
downside? As you discuss this, consider how the schedule affects:
Mom The children Dad
The Benefits of Play Play = freely chosen, personally directed, and intrinsically motivated Essential to healthy brain development, higher order thinking,
language development, and SEL Develops imagination and creativity Teaches how to make friends, work in groups, share, negotiate,
resolve conflicts, rebound from mistakes, advocate for self Allows kids to miniaturize their world and practice adult roles Provides opportunities for leadership and decision-making Enables kids to follow passions Builds healthy bodies
Strategies for Parenting Define success on your terms
Maintain play time, down time, family time
Allow kids space to develop on their own, make mistakes, and have “successful failures”
Ease performance pressure and focus on what matters most
Strategies for Parenting
Be the voice of reason and focus on “right fit” schools
Build responsibility at home
Trust your gut and resist parent peer pressure
Seek mentors
Resources Elkind, David. The Power of Play Elkind. The Hurried Child Ginsberg, Ken. AAP Report: The Importance of Play. . . Levine, Madeline. The Price of Privilege Mogel, Wendy. The Blessings of a Skinned Knee and
The Blessings of a B Minus www.challengesuccess.org