"When my children were younger, their favorite book was " The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister." It's about a girl who is - you guessed it - too busy. All she really wants to do is play with her neighbor, who gets to kick a soccer ball around after school. In my New York City pediatrics practice, I see a lot of kids who could be Ernestine. It's not just a problem of the wealthy - it cuts across socioeconomic status. Kids are over-scheduled; they don't have enough time for relaxation, imaginative play, or sleep. I've seen a massive uptick in kids taking melatonin, and I think it's because they don't have time to unwind before bed."
"I've been a pediatrician for more than 20 years, and I hear from lots of parents who think their child is going to get a college scholarship for sports. I know of about three students who actually have. And still, there are tons of pressures on kids. I have patients who get up at 5 a.m. for violin lessons or swim practice before school. Everything is a plan to get into college. But ultimately, it just stresses kids out without producing the results parents are after."
Many children face chronic over-scheduling across socioeconomic backgrounds, leaving little time for relaxation, imaginative play, or adequate sleep. Early-morning practices and packed extracurriculars often increase stress without delivering expected outcomes such as college scholarships. Increased use of melatonin among kids signals difficulty unwinding before bed. Social comparisons and pursuit of perceived advantages drive unnecessary enrollments. Parents can promote balance by setting realistic limits on activities, prioritizing pursuits the child enjoys, allowing children to quit activities, and intentionally building unstructured downtime to support rest, play, and emotional well-being.
Read at Business Insider
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