Too Much Help Can Hinder

Parents are constantly asking me, "What's my role as a parent and how much help do I need to give to my son/daughter when it comes to their education?" There's no one-size-fits-all answer and most certainly it varies, depending on the developmental stage of the child. However, when it comes to middle school age children, I strongly advocate that this is the stage where parents need to take a big step back.

I recently read a blog post by Amy Carney, who is so "on point" with her advice to parents of teens, I just had to share it. The article is entitled, Stop Doing These 8 Things for Your Teen This School Year. The gist of the article is that teens need to learn to take care of themselves and that it's okay they learn the hard way. For example, she says we need to stop dropping off forgotten items. As a teacher, I overhear kids calling home asking for forgotten lunches, homework, P.E. strip, permission forms, and other miscellaneous items on a daily basis. If, as parents, we always come to the rescue, how do our kids ever feel the reality pinch of being disorganized, forgetful, or just plain ol' lazy?

I love this text she posts in her article. It's the perfect response to a child's request to drop off a forgotten math book. I urge anyone with teens to read this article or to share with friends that do.