Anna Quindlen Doing Nothing Is Something Summary
In today's society, individuals are becoming increasingly overwhelmed. Boredom, which was once a hallmark of childhood, now seems to be fading within today’s generation of children. The pressing question is whether this overload of activities is beneficial or detrimental. With this recent societal shift, a debate has arisen that questions whether children are becoming overwhelmed by a packed schedule, and whether leisure time should once again be commonplace. Children today are perpetually engaged in various activities because their parents want them to maximize productivity; however, this is misguided as it can be overwhelming and detrimental to their mental health.
Anna Quindlen, a writer for Newsweek, in her article “Doing Nothing Is Something,” …show more content…
A child’s brain is still developing; they simply do not possess the skills to manage this much incoming stress from their packed schedules, which can severely impact their mental health. Quindlen notes that “Stories about the resignation of presidential aide Karen Hughes unfailingly reported her dedication to family time by noting that she arranged to get home at 5:30 one night a week to have dinner with her son.” Having dinner with a parent only once a week can significantly affect a child's mental health. A child’s parent is supposed to be present to nurture them during their formative years, so the absence of a guardian can have a profoundly negative effect on their well-being. Expanding on this idea, it’s crucial to recognize that children’s schedules are exceedingly overloaded. Children today have schedules as packed as adults, which speaks volumes about our society. It has reached a point where parents are even designating specific times for free time (Quindlen). A child should never be overscheduled as an adult. The stress placed on a child who must manage school, work, sports, and clubs is bound to have at least some impact on their mental health. Especially since a child’s brain is still developing, they do not know how to effectively cope with the stress imposed upon them. The mental health of American youth is being adversely affected by the stress and anxiety stemming from an overload of activities. Downtime must be reintroduced into children’s
Anna Quindlen, a writer for Newsweek, in her article “Doing Nothing Is Something,” …show more content…
A child’s brain is still developing; they simply do not possess the skills to manage this much incoming stress from their packed schedules, which can severely impact their mental health. Quindlen notes that “Stories about the resignation of presidential aide Karen Hughes unfailingly reported her dedication to family time by noting that she arranged to get home at 5:30 one night a week to have dinner with her son.” Having dinner with a parent only once a week can significantly affect a child's mental health. A child’s parent is supposed to be present to nurture them during their formative years, so the absence of a guardian can have a profoundly negative effect on their well-being. Expanding on this idea, it’s crucial to recognize that children’s schedules are exceedingly overloaded. Children today have schedules as packed as adults, which speaks volumes about our society. It has reached a point where parents are even designating specific times for free time (Quindlen). A child should never be overscheduled as an adult. The stress placed on a child who must manage school, work, sports, and clubs is bound to have at least some impact on their mental health. Especially since a child’s brain is still developing, they do not know how to effectively cope with the stress imposed upon them. The mental health of American youth is being adversely affected by the stress and anxiety stemming from an overload of activities. Downtime must be reintroduced into children’s