When High Expectations Turn into Expecting Perfection
It’s healthy for parents to hold their children to high expectations. Low expectations are a recipe for low performance and most parents know this. However, it’s important to remember that having high expectations can backfire. When expectations are too high it can turn into expecting perfection.
You can actually crush a child by expecting perfection. Once a child feels that it’s impossible to live up to impossible standards, they will stop trying to meet even minimum standards. When this happens parents tend to make the following three mistakes:
- Overemphasize outcomes without regard for the process
- Discourage learning from mistakes
- Ignore the long term impact of short term decisions
If you can avoid these three pitfalls, having high expectations of your child will serve you well.