The Rules of Parenting, 3rd Edition

RULE 76

Let up the pressure

Your child is going to want to get certain grades at school. Whether it’s exams or continuous assessment, whether it’s just for the sake of doing well or whether they actually need the grades in order to carry on with the subject or get onto the course they want – they will have to pass, and maybe pass particularly well.

They know this. The teachers keep telling them. Their friends keep telling them. They keep telling themselves. They really don’t need you to tell them as well. Too much pressure can be counter-productive, and it can cause genuine and sometimes serious psychological problems for children.

So what’s your job? You need to keep things in perspective for them. When you’re 16, for example, school is likely ...