Feeling Overwhelmed? Parent with Priorities, Process, and Community
Yesterday I received overwhelmingly positive feedback on my post about the four common emotional triggers in young athletes. The number of people who reached out to me about this article took me by surprise. Most of the feedback was to say how they could relate to dealing with those emotional triggers and to thank me for the suggestions.
However, a few parents did mention the pressure they’re feeling to help their children overcome these challenges. These parents expressed feelings of being overwhelmed. Simply stated, they’re overwhelmed by what they feel they need to do to help their children grow into better people.
Feeling Overwhelmed is Normal
Unquestionably, this feeling is common. As I research and write on these topics each day I start feeling overwhelmed as well. For all of you who read this blog and who also know my kids personally, you know first hand that my two boys are far from perfect. They struggle with emotional triggers, motivation issues, and resilience as much as any average kid their age.
Nearly all children struggle with one or more of these growth challenges. What’s more, it’s impossible for parents to follow all the suggestions of the so called “experts” to help their children work through their challenges.
While I’m far from an expert, I do know one thing for sure. Parenting matters and parents can make a difference when it comes to helping their children grow into better versions of themselves. However, parent’s can’t make things change overnight and they can’t do it alone.
With that said, the best thing a parent can do is pick one developmental challenge to help their child with at a time. Then focus on adopting a process to help their child work through that one thing. In addition, parents must tap into their community. This includes seeking help and support from teachers, coaches, and counselors.
Although feelings of being an overwhelmed parent may never truly go away, these feelings can be controlled. Just remember that doing something is generally better than doing nothing. Don’t be so hard on yourself, and don’t be so hard on your child either. Just the simple fact that you read articles like this is a good sign that you have what it takes to help your child grow into their best selves.