01/30/2026
enjoyed her time with parents at yesterday talking about the “messy middle” - performance anxiety, pressure, executive functioning expectations, and what kids actually need from parents in 6th–8th grade.
One moment that often lands hardest with parents is hearing a child say:
“I think my mom might love my straight A’s more than she actually loves me.”
That belief is *never* true - and yet, for some kids, it feels very real. Performance anxiety often grows not from a lack of love, but from how love, pride, concern, and expectations are perceived during moments of stress, disappointment, or uncertainty.
The conversation explored why performance anxiety is more than just wanting to do well, how fear + pressure + uncertainty fuel stress, and why connection matters more than control at this stage. It also covered executive functioning, normal grade fluctuations, the myth of “high performance everywhere,” and why free time is not a luxury—it’s essential.
Many thanks to Penny Cleaveland and Laure Vermulen for hosting and for creating space for thoughtful, honest conversations with parents.
✨ The one-page parent handout from the talk is available as a resource for YOU!
📩 Send a DM to request the download link and share it with your family or school community.
Thank you to the Awty parent community for showing up reflective, open, and deeply invested in children—not just their outcomes, but their emotional wellbeing too. 💛
