Some teens today are doing so much, they stress themselves out to the point of, well, engaging in unhealthy behavior. Is this “new” though, or just something a lot of teens have done (and it’s simply now getting more attention)? The Washington Post has the story earlier this week.
It’s hard to say for certain whether teen over-scheduling is an increasing trend, since there are very few lifestyle surveys of teens across decades (the only data that could reliably answer such a question). However, one study mentioned near the end of the article (that’s always the place they put the dissenting data that calls into question the value of the entire article!), does provide some context:
In 2006, around the time that the pediatrics group issued its warning, psychologist Joseph L. Mahoney, then an associate professor at Yale, and two colleagues published a study debunking what they called “the over-scheduling myth.”
Based on an analysis of previous research, Mahoney’s team concluded that fewer than one in 10 youths could be described as over-scheduled and that 40 percent did not participate in any organized activities. Teenagers who did participate averaged fewer than 10 hours per week, Mahoney reported, while fewer than 6 percent devoted 20 hours or more to extracurricular activities. The researchers also challenged the notions that parental pressure was to blame for over-scheduling and that a lack of free time caused undue stress.
Anecdotally, we can all remember our own teenage years, and how some of our friends or people we knew seemed always to be doing something.
I fell somewhere in-between. I wasn’t a complete slacker, but I also didn’t join every club or after-school activity I could. I ensured I kept some time free, but even then, there were definitely times I felt overwhelmed by all the commitments I had made.
In the article, the writer notes how some teens drive themselves right into therapy with their packed schedules, and they do so to please their parents:
The toxic combination of perfectionism and over-scheduling can lead to excesses such as those seen by University of Pennsylvania adolescent medicine specialist Kenneth Ginsburg, author of the AAP recommendations. Ginsburg said his patients have included a teenager who had started studying for the SATs at age 11 and high school students whose parents told them they “didn’t need to bother to go to college” if they didn’t get into either Harvard or Yale, schools that last year reported record-low acceptance rates hovering around 8 percent.
Sometimes, he noted, teenagers who say they can’t imagine life without a packed schedule and profess to “love” hours of extracurricular activities are really afraid of disappointing their parents by opting out or scaling back.
The irony of this, however, is that most parents don’t really have a set agenda for their kids’ lives. (Some do, and those parents should stop trying to live their lives through their kids.) They just want their children to be happy. But somewhat mistakenly, some parents believe that they need — i.e., it is their responsibility as a parent — to try and expose their child to as many “opportunities” as possible. “Let’s sign up little Johnny for softball! Let’s sign him up for soccer! Oh, he enjoyed going to the show, maybe he wants to sing, and dance, and…” You get the picture.
There is a balance there that needs to be found. Sure, giving your children the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities is potentially beneficial. But don’t take it too far, because kids need to be kids first and foremost. They can always learn or discover a talent later on in life too — childhood isn’t the only time we learn activities.
Because what happens in many cases is that a child learns their parent always wants them to not just “do well,” but “exceed expectations,” to “excel” in everything they do. And as they become a teenager, that work ethic turns into a nightmare in trying to balance 3 or 4 social activites and hobbies with clubs and academic pressures, and sports, and friends, and still have time to enjoy life. Teens don’t need to excel. They need to find a place in life that feels right, to explore who they are, what they like, and what relationships are all about. A few activities helps a teen explore and enjoy the things they like to do, but too many and it can quickly feel like pressure they don’t need nor want.
So over-scheduling may be a problem for some youths, but by and large, most teens understand the need for some balance in their lives, even if they don’t always succeed in finding it.
Teens, know your limitations and learn to prioritize what’s most important to you (versus something you might be doing that you no longer enjoy or care for). Parents, don’t pressure your teens into doing stuff that you think they enjoy (but that they really don’t). Listen to them if they say to you, “Hey, I don’t think I’m going to go out this year for the team.” It doesn’t make them a quitter, it makes them a wise pragmatist who is beginning to find their way in the world.
Read the full article: Too-Busy Teens Feel Health Toll
21 comments
Author says it is tough to say for sure whether teen over-scheduling is an augmenting trend. Since there are very few number of lifestyle surveys of teens across decades.
I’m a teenager and I strongly disagree with this article. I’m at school at 6:00AM for dance team, then go to school, go to basketball until 6:00PM, go to tumbling until 8:30. When I finally get home I eat supper, do my homework and am lucky to get to bed before midnight. Give us teens credit we take on a lot and get it done. And, yes I keep up my grades. I have a 3.88 GPA.
I disagree as well. I’m 17 years old and I wake up at 5:30, at school until 2:15 have Varsity soccer practice from afterschool until 5 :30PM, then go to my other teams soccer practice until 7:30, go home, eat supper, do my homework and then I can go to sleep. Usually between 10:00 and 11:30. I have a GPA of 3.76.
*plus any other activities like clubs or school functions*
TEENS CAN DO IT!
i agree that its do-able. i’m first in my class and i’m involved in 5 clubs at school, i work and i have livestock at my home that i’m responsible for. often times i’m not in bed before midnight, but is that necessarily the best way to go through high school? i love being busy and i couldn’t pick one thing to cut out of my schedule if you asked, but the truth is, i don’t think its such bad advice to focus only on a few things. at the same time, thats easier said than done, and i’m not sure i would change the way my high school career has gone. anyways, teens can definitely do it… but you should do it for the right reasons 🙂
I do believe that you shouldn’t pressure you child to do anything. Yet, if they want to do a lot, let them. It is not undoable to do many activities and actually it can end up being beneficial. It is a lot better than your child staying at home bored all the time. When they are a part of something it makes them feel better about themselves even if they don’t excel at it.
I agree, I think parents should let their child do whatever they love and want to do.
i agree that parents shouldn’t pressure thier kids in doing so many extracarricular activities. Let them do what they enjoy, whether its one hobby or 5, they will be able to manage thier time because they enjoy doing it. Organizing time is something very important in order to avoid stress. I know from experience that it is wise to manage time to make things easier.
Avoiding stress definitely makes everything much easier. Stress is like a demon trying to destroy you! Seriously, nothing good comes out of it.
Dear Brittanie and Maegan!, the author of this article is aware that teens are capable of doing all of these activities; the question, however, is if you are happy or not. I can’t imagine that always having to be somewhere or be doing something can relax someone. Both of your schedules sound extremely stressful.
Clearly, I agree that parents should not put pressure on their children to do as many activities as they possibly can. I, myself persue the subjects I have interest in simply because I want to, I would hate it if my parents had to tell me what to do and that I had no choice in the matter. Looking forward to doing things is what makes people happy and being told by your parents to do activites would not produce that reaction. Also, I understand that these parents want the best for their children and want them to explore all opportunities they missed in their childhood, but it is causing their children to feel stressed.
I’m a rising senior in high school ready to apply for colleges… talk about stress.
The thing is, even if we or our parents don’t want to do so much and over-load, it’s hard not too. Because everyone else is going above and beyond, doing everything, and excelling in everything, in order to be able to compete with them to get into a somewhat decent college, you have to cram yourself and work hard as well….
Of course you can chose not to do that much, but seeing everyone else work hard towards their goals and busying themselves day and night, you feel bad, and think “everyone else can work that hard, why can’t I?”
…and by “you” I mean “I”.
I’m a rising senior in high school. Largely I agree with this article, but it is those of us who like me are in the top of their class who suffer the most. I was smart. I knew my 3 AP classes this past year would take up inordinate amounts of my time, so I didn’t sign up for very many extracurriculars. I volunteered at the local library to fulfill hours for school, was active in my school’s German club (I designed the t-shirt, for one thing), and joined the art honor society. I also was a marshal in this year’s graduation, making for hours of practices near the end of the school year, luckily after AP testing was over. However, just the amount of work I was getting from my classes was taking up inordinate amounts of time every night, with extensive “reading logs” for 30-some page chapters in US History, essays, online Latin homework, German translations and essays, research papers (yes, plural – there were two. I checked out 5 books from the library for the first one and 8 for the second one. Both of them were longer than 10 pages.), other reading assignments, Precalculus homework (usually 15-20 problems a night, but I don’t think our teacher realized how time consuming some of the problems were…and I’m good at math!), and periodic major projects for AP Environmental Science. So just because a kid isn’t involved in that many different things doesn’t mean they didn’t over-schedule themselves, especially if they’re trying to overcome the usual social issues of high school: relationships, lost friendships, and family matters.
I’m a teen as well and I have a very busy schedule. I have honors classes, a fifth block, soccer, yearbook (editor), HOSA (vice president), chorus, and not to mention trying to keep up with friends and family. My GPA is a 4.14.
Yes!! I feel teenagers today are doing way to much to either impress their parents or impress society. My GPA as a senior in high school is over a 4.4 and yes i worked hard doing just about everything to get into college. This includes sports, clubs, community service, and late nights of overachieving homework. I don’t think I did it to impress my parents, more like society who demands the most intellectual and smartest individuals. Hard work does pay off though but I still believe some parents show back off on scheduling events for their children. I have seen and observed many kids, who were those that competed with me for awards and honors stress out over the fact of disappointing their parents. It shouldn’t be like that…The teen should be a teen and learn how to be successful on their own..much like I did
Maintaing a 4.9 GPA, playing varsity lacrosse, being top 7 in both track and cross country, maintaining a part time job, 1st in my class, french club(president), art club(VP), HOSA(VP), National Honors Society(President)is difficult to maintain but I am proud to say that I do it to please myself, not anyone around me. I do all these things to see what I can achieve, to see what I am capable in doing. I am happy with everything that I am doing and would nto trade it for anything.
I am sixteen years old and I am involved in up to 25 hours of musical commitment a week. I agree that children shouldn’t be pushed into many activities at a young age but I think they should be encouraged by their parents to take up an instrument – I started music at age twelve so I’m very far behind my peers and I know my greatest regret will always be not starting sooner. If only my parents had pushed me that little bit further with music, I could have done so much better in life…
Thanks, it really heplped me with my school project in psycologie 🙂
I don’t think that parents should ever pressure their kids, but they do want the absolute best for them. They want their kids to be the best they can be. I’m a senior I wake up at 7:30 school starts at 8:20 and it ends at 3:20. Then, I usually go home and clean or do things that need to be done and working on what I am going to do with my future. Then later on in the day I head to the YMCA to workout and release some tension. So I don’t have a very busy work scheduled like some people who cheer lead for 3 hours after school then go to softball practice for 2 hours then they have a school play practice or something, but I do have a busy head, and a lot of things I think and worry about. Like how I’m going to get a job, where I’m going to college, what do i wanna do in life, friends, my parents, all kinds of things, it’s tough being a teen and yes it defiantly is stressful but it’s okay, it will get better and better and better. I try not to let stress get to me because if I do I blow up and I do not like that person, so i don’t let it harm me. God has plans for all of us and I have faith.
For me I have actually experienced both sides of this. I used to play sports all year my first 2 years of high school and i feel like my grades were alot better then. Now that I dont play sports all year I think that it has caused me to have too much free time and my grades to slip. I do however believe that it depends on the person that you are dealing with.
I agree with the article and think it is a shame teenagers feel pressured to do so much; I used to be the same way. I believe it is a way to “overcompensate” for all the experiences we did not have the chance to do as children, or maybe it is just a way for us to ensure we have a good future (by getting into a good college.) What everyone needs to understand is that colleges (and people!) like healthy, well-rounded teens who know what they want out of life. After all, if you don’t understand yourself and your needs, how can you help and understand others? It may seem like you can do it all-and maybe you can-but all of it will catch up with you, believe me. Just relax and enjoy life.
I used to have a schedule that was packed with activities. I barely had any time “just” for me. As a result, I was constantly stressed and found little enjoyment out of life. When I learned to relax and manage my time well, I found a greater fulfillment out of my time. I do still do things, of course. I dance, and am planning to enter several competitions later on. I participate in a school club which I am deeply committed to. I am attempting to teach myself a foreign language. I write almost daily and am hoping to be published someday. I knit for charity, and hope to someday start my own.
Even with these things, which I love doing very much, I still have time to just sit, watch television, and read a book.
Relax. It’s okay. You don’t have to do everything.