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Why High-Achieving Kids Feel Lost — Raising Humans, Not Resumes achievement culture high-achieving kids identiy and success modern parenting parenting stress performance pressure teen mental health young adult burnout Feb 21, 2026

Raising Humans, Not Resumes

Over the last several months, I’ve noticed something that feels bigger than individual families.

In one room, twenty to thirty-year-old women told me they feel empty afte...

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Before You Correct the Behavior, Ask: Is This Stress? boys and mental health emotional regulation family connection high-achieving families mental health in men parenting teen boys parenting teens performance pressure pressure culture stress response teen stress young men mental health young men pressure young men stress Feb 15, 2026

 

 

At a recent parent workshop, I asked one volunteer to sit in a chair and represent a typical teen boy.
Then I asked seven parents to stand around him. Each was a given a sticky note with one of t...

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After the Checklist: Why So Many Capable People Feel Stuck achievement pressure after the checklist feeling stuck identity and success midlife transition parenting differently redefining success young adults Feb 08, 2026

 

After the Checklist

I’m hearing something across generations.

Young adults say:
“I did everything right… and I feel stuck.”
“I don’t like the corporate job I worked so hard for.”
“I’m scared to pivo...

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It’s Not Laziness. It’s Pressure balanced families differece between stress and pressure feeling stuck from pressure how to move forward lack motivation lazy positive coping skills pressure and coping pressure vs stress stuck understanding pressure understanding stress unmotivated why capable people feel stuck Feb 03, 2026

One of the most common things I hear from capable, responsible adults is this:

“I don’t understand what’s wrong with me. I can do the dishes, take care of everyone else, keep the house running… but I...

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Bigorexia in Boys: The Male Eating Disorder Often Missed bigorexia male body dysmorphia male eating disorder Jan 26, 2026

When most people think about eating disorders, they may picture women or young girls restricting their food and weight. That image causes us to miss a growing number of boys and men who are struggling...

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When Pressure Comes Home: Stress, Expectations, and Kids’ Wellbeing pressure and coping pressure vs stress Jan 18, 2026

When Pressure Comes Home

Last week, I wrote about the visible history of pressure, the kind that once lived out loud in uniforms, weigh-ins, and unspoken expectations. Pressure that was framed as pro...

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When Success Comes With Conditions: How Pressure Shapes Coping — Then and Now body image body image history mandatory weigh-ins pressure and coping pressure and weight pressure around women's bodies pressure culture pressure shapes coping pressure to achieve redefining success stewardess 1960s body image Jan 11, 2026

When Success Comes With Conditions: How Pressure Shapes Coping — Then and Now

When Prestige Also Meant Pressure

For decades, flight attendants were held to strict standards around appearance and beh...

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Checking It Twice: When Holiday & Parenting Checklists Overwhelm.....Try This balanced families body image eating disorders feeling behind gritty kids healthy families parenting parents redefining success society's checklist successful families the holiday checklist Dec 21, 2025

 

Checking It Twice: When Holiday & Parenting Checklists Overwhelm.....Try This

Every holiday season, it shows up quietly.

A feeling parents often struggle to name but feel deeply:

“I’m behind.”

...
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From Reacting to Reconnecting: Why I Help Parents Heal Family Nov 27, 2025

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing your best as a parent but still seeing stress, conflict, or disconnection in your family, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and I know how overwhelming it can fe...

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The Hidden Rise of Eating Disorders in Boys and Young Men: Don’t Look Away boys eating disorders young men Nov 27, 2025

What if I told you your son could be struggling silently, just like hers did?

The Hidden Rise of Eating Disorders in Boys and Young Men. When I went by the library to drop off flyers for my workshop ...

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Parenting Doesn’t Come With a Guidebook… Until Now parenting Nov 27, 2025

Parenting Doesn’t Come With a Guidebook… Until Now. Parenting is complicated. No one hands you a roadmap, and no one tells you the shortcuts or the pitfalls. After 21 years of teaching high school and...

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