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July 8, 2025 24 mins

Ever wonder how to strike the right balance between pushing your child to succeed and respecting autonomy in children? 

Today’s episode tackles just that - because knowing whether to step in or take a step back can feel like a balancing act.

On this episode, I chat with therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Kristin Mervich about the tricky dilemma high-achieving parents face: when to keep pushing your child to succeed, when to trust autonomy in children, and how guiding a child sometimes means knowing when to back off. 

We dig into the effects of parental pressure on a child to succeed - for better or worse - and share a clear framework to help you make thoughtful choices that empower both you and your child.

What you’ll learn:

  • How to honor autonomy in children without dropping the ball on motivation by pushing your child to succeed - and when that’s okay.
  • What the effects of parental pressure on a child to succeed really look like - mental health, confidence, and that inner spark. Tune in to hear Kristin’s real-life examples.
  • Why guiding a child starts with understanding the “why” behind their resistance - and how that insight changes everything.
  • A simple 4-question formula to decide: Should you push? Pause? Or pivot? It’s like having a parenting GPS.

If you’ve ever asked: “Am I overdoing it by pushing my kid? Or am I selling them short?” - this episode is for you.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Episode 10: Is Anxiety Good for You? 3 Steps for Building Confidence in Kids When They’re Trying New Things with Ivy Ruths, PhD

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CONNECT WITH KRISTIN MERVICH, LCSW:

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