Even before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was clear American teenagers were facing a mental health crisis, one that manifested itself in alarming rises in the rates of depression, anxiety, and other psychological ailments. In Never Enough, Jennifer Breheny Wallace, a journalist and mother of three adolescent children, identifies the root cause in an "environment of unrelenting pressure" created by the single-minded pursuit of achievement and status. While sympathetically exploring the dimensions of the problem, she also offers some thoughtful approaches to parenting intended to create a more humane, and sane, culture for young people.
Wallace's analysis is rooted in a survey she conducted in early 2020 with the assistance of a researcher from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. More than 6,000 parents quickly responded, offering tangible support for the published reports on the dire state of adolescent mental health.
Wallace's fundamental prescription is a concept she calls "mattering," shorthand for "the feeling that we are valued and add value to others." Instead of prizing children only for the achievements that will pave the way for entry into elite colleges and high-status jobs, she argues, mattering can serve to "correct the lies that our society tells them: that they only matter if they're performing, if they're achieving."
It will take cooperation among parents, educators, and policymakers to address this crisis before the damage to a generation of children becomes too profound and lasting. Wallace's book is a useful starting point for those committed to that task. --Harvey Freedenberg, freelance reviewer