My Kid is Mediocre, Now What?

Our world is increasingly obsessed with excellence and exceptionalism. As a result, more and more parents are fixating on how to make sure their kid is everything but mediocre. But is mediocrity really something parents should be panicking over? And could their efforts actually be doing more harm than good? Today, we deconstruct all the fears parents have around mediocrity and examine how hard you should be pushing your kids when, statistically, most of us are pretty average. We dig into the harms of pushing for exceptionalism, why too much pressure and overparenting will likely reduce your teen’s ability to be exceptional, and how to accept – and celebrate! – that your child might be average. Our conversation also unpacks the skills that will help your kids thrive in the long run, how to cultivate them, and why trying different things (that they might be bad at) is critical for their development. Tune in now for a refreshing perspective on parenting that might just change how you see success!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:01:21] Why being mediocre isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be.
• [0:04:31] Which parenting circles tend to fixate on exceptionalism.
• [0:05:17] How obsessing over exceptionalism is harming kids.
• [0:07:20] The downsides of overparenting: what the research shows us.
• [0:09:15] Why we need to recognize that most teens are simply normal teenagers.
• [0:11:16] Cultivating skills and characteristics that lead to long-term success.
• [0:16:51] The difficulty of going against a culture of exceptionalism.
• [0:19:45] How to embrace, support, and accept your kids for who they are.
• [0:22:17] Why you should encourage your kid to find joy and try things they are bad at.
• [0:27:26] How to approach challenges as a positive model for your kids.
• [0:28:27] Meredith and Cathy set each other challenges to get out of their comfort zones.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Madeline Levine Books

The Rest is History Podcast

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You on Instagram