Are you and your student so concerned that they be “well-rounded” that they’re in danger of not being  well balanced? 

High school is a time of transition and growth. It’s also a time of stress and conflict as students try to set themselves up for college applications and beyond.

Are you concerned about how to best help your child as they navigate these rough waters? When to press for continued effort and achievement and where to draw the line at potentially unhealthy practices? Do you need ideas about how to start approaching these issues?

When we are focused too narrowly on grades and performance, we deny our children the time and energy they need to tackle the demanding work of growing up. This presentation will lay out recent research on topics including homework, sleep, cheating, technology use, academic engagement, and more. Parents will also explore concrete strategies to help reduce academic stress without sacrificing achievement, and to support their children’s resilience, creativity, and well-being. Parents will leave with practical strategies to put into practice at home and at school.

Mary Hofstedt, Ed.M., is the Community Education Director for Challenge Success, a not-for-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education that partners with schools, families, and communities to promote a broad definition of success and to implement research-based strategies so that all kids are healthy and engaged with learning. She has an extensive background in curriculum and program design, positive youth development, facilitation of community-wide initiatives to benefit youth, and social science research. She is the parent of a recent high school graduate and is passionate about working with others to ensure our young people thrive.