Summary Of Today's Exhausted Superkids By Frank Bruni

In “Today’s Exhausted Superkids,” Frank Bruni discusses how sleep is a key factor in a child’s growth and development. However, many teenagers are too stressed to get the proper amount of sleep each night. Bruni mentioned this has only been an issue for the most recent generations. He says the problem used to be oversleeping and being late to class, but now the situation is quite the opposite. Teenagers these days are pushed to have the best grades, participate in a sport, have a job, and get into the best college. This is just too much for most teens, and they are sacrificing sleep to accomplish it all. According to Bruni, the National Sleep Foundation recommends eight to ten hours of sleep, while more than half of American teenagers get seven
or less. Sleep deprivation, along with the pressure to be perfect, can lead to severe cases of depression, anxiety, and stress. Parents want the best for their children, which is often contradictory. They want their children to strive in school, but they also want them to be happy and healthy. Sometimes this just is not possible, and there needs to be some change. Teenagers need to be able to relax and, of course, sleep.
“Today’s Exhausted Superkids” was an extraordinarily effective article that discussed many agreeable and relatable topics in a convincing manner. The issue discussed is clear and fairly new to society. Highly debated amongst teachers, students, and parents everywhere, sleep is something that was not a problem for parents, but it is for their children. The author, Frank Bruni, debated the topic well, providing multiple sources along with his own experiences as evidence. Bruni also used interesting vocabulary and sentence structures that catch the reader’s attention and keeps focus on significant details. As a student, I have experienced difficulties with balancing sleep and school, so the article is relatable to me, personally.
In my mind, “Today’s Exhausted Superkids” was one of the most effective articles I have read recently.
Bruni did an excellent job as he maintained focus on the points that matter. The main idea is reiterated throughout the article-- nearly every other paragraph included a paraphrased version of “Students need more sleep.” Furthermore, Bruni not only explained the issue and his opinion, but also described why it is important. The third paragraph highlighted the significance of sleep to students, describing sleep as a “linchpin of sanity,” which is also an example of Bruni’s intriguing vocabulary. Bruni managed to use a sophisticated and elevated vocabulary while still writing something understandable, clear, and interesting. Phrases such as “hyped up and stressed out,” “not how to rouse teens but how to lull them,” and “spirit-sapping” added relatability and appeal. The author also used a substantial amount of evidence as support. Quotes from Stanford lecturers, statistics from the National Sleep Foundation, and excerpts from Time magazine all sound like reliable sources, which, in turn, made Bruni appear more respectable and reliable. The addition of his own experiences with the issue created a personal connection between the reader, which contributed to the already existing reliability and relatability. This made me reflect upon my own experiences with the pressure for academic
excellence.
As a college preparatory junior, this article made me feel someone understands my problems. I have experienced “Take one more Advanced Placement class. Add another extracurricular. Apply to all eight Ivies.” first hand from both parental figures and teachers. I am pressured into pushing and challenging myself daily. Most evenings are spent doing homework and, if I have time, household chores. Sometimes, I am lucky if I manage to stay awake while completing homework. I am part of the 55 percent of American teenagers who get less than seven hours of sleep per night. I have also suffered stress, depression, and anxiety from school-related issues. If I perform badly on a test, it is the only thing I can think about for an extended period of time and I become ridiculously upset. Obviously, I am not the only one experiencing these issues. I witness the ideas discussed in “Today’s Exhausted Superkids” every single day.
Not only do I experience the pressure of succeeding, but I see other students being pushed as well, and I agree that it is an issue. Students are only capable of doing so much, and most of the things they do become unbalanced. There are many graphics on the Internet that feature a diagram with phrases such as “good grades,” “social life,” and “plenty of sleep” and the title usually says something like “Pick Two.” Clearly, this shows how often students are placed in difficult and stressful situations pertaining to school. I also agree that most children, especially teenagers, need more sleep than what they normally get. Sometimes my younger sisters, ages seven and eleven, get less sleep than I do. While it might not be because they are working on homework all hours of the night, they still get less than the recommended minimum of eight hours. Lack of sleep is detrimental to both physical and mental health. Not only does the body feel weak, but the mind is affected tremendously as well. Alertness, memory, and an individual’s mood are all affected by sleep deprivation. All of these are important to student performance at school, yet school is what is causing the
problems. All in all, sleep is important to all people, especially children with minds that are still developing and maturing, and Bruni makes this a good argument in his article. He is effective in delivering his message, as he restates his main ideas multiple times. Bruni also uses engaging vocabulary and extensive evidence that support and interest the reader. He chose a topic that is disputed and considered by people of all ages who can relate to the struggles of not getting enough sleep. In my opinion, Bruni is an excellent author who is a master of vocabulary and an overall normal, relatable person.