Parenting

The number of young Canadians suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression is on the rise. “In one survey, about 14% of Canadian youth felt stressed on most days” (CMHA, 2014, para. 13). In addition, the Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that the total number of youth, ages 12 to 19, at risk of depression is 3.2 million (CMHA, 2023, para. 1). What are kids stressed most about? Children worry most about situations that require them to change or adapt. According to Medline Plus (2023), some of the top stressors for kids include: Negative thoughts about themselves Stress about grades or… Read More

Perfect parents may look incredibly happy, posting carefully curated pictures of their flawless children, immaculate homes, and model holidays on social media. However, when it comes to parenting perfectionism, looks are deceiving. Perfectionism is characterized by worries about making mistakes, concerns about what others think, and a sense of incongruence between the perfect version of oneself and one’s actual self (Lin & Szcygiel, 2021). Perfectionism in parenting erodes the bond between parent and child, sets children up for psychological disorders, and robs families of happiness for generations. While striving to be a perfect mother or father may seem harmless, it… Read More