‘Never Enough’ Examines the Toxic Achievement Culture Overtaking Kids’ Lives and What to Do About It

KQED's Forum

KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 1 September 2023

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In a national survey conducted by journalist Jennifer Wallace, a vast majority of parents responded that getting their child into a selective college was the “most important ingredient for later-life happiness.” In fact, more than 80% of parents believe that their parenting is judged by the metric of their children’s academic success. This mindset is at the core of the toxic achievement culture which Wallace says we must combat. As one student she interviewed noted, “It’s ironic that adults wonder why there’s so much anxiety and depression in my generation, when they’re the ones who have created this crazy environment for us.” We talk to Wallace about her new book “Never Enough” and how to offer families a different definition of what success can look like. Guests: Jennifer Breheny Wallace, author, "Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic -- and What We Can Do About It" Mahi Jariwala, senior, Monte Vista High School; member, KQED's Youth Advisory Board Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	Support for KikiWED podcasts comes from Landmark College, holding their annual summer institute for educators from June 24 through 26th.
0:09.1	More information at landmark.edu slash LCSI.
0:13.7	Support for Forum comes from Broadway SF, presenting Parade, the musical revival based on a true story.
0:21.3	From three-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown comes the story of Leo and Lucille Frank,
0:27.6	a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in Georgia.
0:31.6	When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and
0:40.1	devotion. The riveting and gloriously hopeful parade plays the Orphium Theater for three weeks only,
0:47.1	May 20th through June 8th. Tickets on sale now at Broadway, sF.com.
0:54.7	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Grace Wan in Fermina Kim.
1:16.1	Coming up on forum, how parents and caregivers can help kids become what journalist Jennifer
1:20.9	Wallace calls healthy achievers. American parents, she says, tend to value their kids' external
1:26.5	accomplishments, the straight A's, the fancy job offers, the things that will help them stand out in a competitive world.
1:33.0	But Wallace says it's far more important to teach them the skills of interdependence, how to ask for and accept support, and to offer help to others.
1:40.9	It's all part of the idea of what researchers call mattering, that kids thrive when
1:45.1	they understand how they matter within their communities. Wallace's new book is never enough.
1:50.3	We learn more after this news.
2:04.1	Welcome to Forum. I'm Grace Wan in fromina Kim. When journalist Jennifer Brenny Wallace's oldest son was in the sixth grade, she was told
2:09.1	that he would need a passion to stand out in college admissions. Wallace took the advice to heart.
2:13.8	Since her son liked building things, she began researching college and high school architecture programs, and eventually she found an evening class for him to heart. Since her son liked building things, she began researching college and high school
2:17.5	architecture programs, and eventually she found an evening class for him to attend. When she shared
2:22.5	the good news with him, he replied, Mom, I love architecture. Please don't ruin it for me. The ease in which
2:29.7	Wallace slipped into that cycle of worry and striving is a hallmark of the toxic achievement culture
	...

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