How do I talk to my teen about academic pressure and perfectionism?

Academic pressure and personal identity/perfectionism-how-to-let-go" class="internal-link">fear of mistakes among teenagers has reached crisis levels, with many teens experiencing Anxiety disorder, Major depressive disorder, and Occupational burnout from trying to meet impossibly high standards. As a parent, you can help by examining the messages you're sending about achievement and success. Emphasize effort, growth, and learning over grades and test scores. Celebrate when they work hard on something, regardless of the outcome. Help them understand that mistakes and failures are normal parts of learning, not reflections of their worth as people. Model healthy Psychological stress management in your own life - let them see you handling setbacks with Psychological resilience and self-compassion. Encourage them to pursue activities they enjoy, not just ones that look good on college applications. Help them develop a balanced perspective by discussing successful people who didn't follow traditional paths or who failed before succeeding. If they're struggling with fear of mistakes, help them set realistic goals and celebrate small wins. Teach them that 'good enough' is often actually good enough, and that perfectionist tendencies can actually hinder performance and happiness. If academic pressure is causing significant Anxiety disorder or Major depressive disorder, don't hesitate to seek professional help. Sometimes teens need to hear from someone other than their parents that their worth isn't determined by their achievements.