Posted by Bystander
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Nov 10, 2023 at 6:47 pm
Bystander is a registered user.

One of the things that makes a difference is to have at least one activity that is not a challenge, not competitive and just pure fun. Even if an activity is something enjoyable such as sport or performing arts, it can still be very competitive and the pressure to get the lead solo, or a place on the best team is still adding pressure to young lives.

Instead, find some fun activity that is not designed to look good on college apps. Mental health is a coverall for so many different issues, but some if not many can simply be addressed by hanging out with friends in a non-competitive environment. Family board game nights can turn into inviting friends to join. Cooking a meal for the family and invite a friend can turn into a love of cooking that can last a lifetime and baking cupcakes or cookies from scratch can be an invite for hanging out.

Halloween has just passed. Making costumes at home rather than buying them and having fun on the big night is not just for little kids. But once a year is not enough. Many churches and similar faith based groups have once a week fun activities open to everyone. Get involved in one and make some friends from outside of town.

Anything that can help relieve stress is good. But making it too complicated may just add to the stress.

Posted by Jennifer
a resident of another community
on Nov 14, 2023 at 1:37 pm
Jennifer is a registered user.

Kudos to the author for looking out for the well-being of the kids. Her heart is in the right place. I agree with most of what she's saying, except where the academic pressure is coming from.