Current media is full of warnings that kids are being overbooked, overstimulated and, ultimately, overwhelmed. While articles on stress used to invariably feature the children of Japan, taxed by the country's rigorous academic pressures and long hours of juku (cram school), the focus now is going international.
Experts point out that loading up kids' schedules with too many activities edges out precious time for unstructured, creative "downtime," family interactions and homework. The popularity of two recent books -- "The Over-Scheduled Child" (St. Martin's Griffin) co-authored by Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld and Nicole Wise, and "The Hurried Child" (Perseus Publishing) by David Elkind -- indicates that parents in the United States are beginning to pay attention.
In his book, Rosenfeld points his finger at a culprit in the U.S. -- which he dubs "hyper-parenting" -- and suggests that "parenting has become our most competitive sport." In his opinion, the U.S. has adopted the Japanese ideals of education that are "the least beneficial aspect of their approach -- standardized, measurable education." In the meantime, he notes, Japan has been trying to relax academic standards, in search of a more creative educational system.