285. Raising “Healthy Strivers” in Today’s Toxic Achievement Culture with Jennifer Wallace #WellnessWednesdays

Be Well by Kelly Leveque

Today’s topic is something every parent can learn from – how to raise our kids to value themselves for who they are, not what they accomplish. I’m thrilled to welcome Jennifer Wallace, an award-winning journalist and social commentator who covers parenting and lifestyle trends.

Jennifer is a contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. She is the author of Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic — And What We Can Do About It. This is the definitive book on toxic achievement culture and the impact it has on parents and kids.

Jennifer tells us all about the groundbreaking findings she uncovered in her book, explaining the societal and economic factors that contributed to the rise of achievement culture. We talk about the prevalence of anxiety and depression in children who go to high-achieving schools. And most importantly, we explore how to combat this phenomenon and support our kids.

Jennifer shares fantastic advice on how to teach your kids about their unconditional worth, help them process envy and comparison, and foster a healthy sense of self. We chat a lot about mattering, and why it, well, matters so much, highlighting the importance of healthy interdependence.

School might be in session for them, but it is for you (and me!) too. Jennifer recommends getting a PhD in our kids; I will definitely be implementing her advice in my home. The LeVeque family meetings start now! I’m so excited to share Jennifer’s research and perspective, so you can learn from her too.

We also cover:

(00:02:05) Why Jennifer’s Book Was a “MeSearch” Project

(00:06:15) Identifying the Unseen Pressures on Parents

(00:11:12) Health Risks for High-Achieving Kids

(00:17:16) How Can We Course-Correct To Protect Our Kids?

(00:20:48) How To Show Children They Matter

(00:32:57) Get a PhD in Your Kids

(00:39:42) Developing Healthy Interdependence

(00:43:57) Tips for Minimizing Toxic Achievement

(00:48:36) Avoiding the Comparison Trap Between Kids

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes
• Read: Never Enough by Jennifer Wallace
• Website: jenniferbwallace.com
• Instagram: @jenniferbrehenywallace
• The Mattering Movement: thematteringmovement.com

Connect with Kelly:

• kellyleveque.com
• Instagram: @bewellbykelly
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/bewellbykelly

* Content from this podcast is provided for information and education purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. The use of information from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. Always speak with your healthcare professional before taking any medication, nutritional or herbal supplement.

Be Well By Kelly is produced by Crate Media.

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