Letting Go of Perfect

Letting Go of Perfect gives parents and teachers the guidance and support they need to help children break free of the anxieties and behaviors related to perfectionism. This second edition: - Explores a state of mind that manifests in unhealthy ways among kids and teens today-the need to be perfect. - Features updated research on perfectionism, new strategies, and resources. - Delineates the major types of perfectionism and provides practical tips. - Explains how students can use their perfectionistic behaviors in a healthy way. - Shares advice and stories from real parents, educators, and students. For children who believe their best is never good enough, perfectionism can lead to excessive guilt, lack of motivation, low self-esteem, depression, pessimism, obsessive or compulsive behavior, and a sense of rigidity. This engaging, practical book is a must-have for parents and teachers wanting to help children overcome perfectionism, raise self-confidence, lessen guilt, increase motivation, and offer a future free of rigidity.

Jill L. Adelson, Ph.D., has worked with children in a variety of settings, including academic, extracurricular, and athletics, and as a parent. She taught fourth-grade self-contained gifted and talented in Newport News, VA, and some of her coaching activities included Odyssey of the Mind, softball, and the academic team. Hope E. Wilson, Ph.D., writes from the perspective of both a parent and an educator. As an educator, she has worked primarily as an elementary art teacher in Texas. In this position, she had the joy of teaching all of the students, from kindergarten through fifth grade, and working with the other teachers to develop cross-curricular activities and connections.

Acknowledgments A Note to the Reader CHAPTER 1 Perfectionism and Children CHAPTER 2 Debunking Myths About Perfectionism CHAPTER 3 The Academic Achiever "Must Achieve 100%" CHAPTER 4 The Aggravated Accuracy Assessor "Exactness and Fixation on 'Redos'" CHAPTER 5 The Risk Evader "All or Nothing" CHAPTER 6 The Controlling Image Manager "I Could Have if I Wanted to" CHAPTER 7 The Procrastinating Perfectionist "If It Stays in My Mind, Then I Can't Fail" CHAPTER 8 Identifying Healthy Motivation and Goals and Unhealthy Perfectionism CHAPTER 9 Strategies for the Classroom CHAPTER 10 Strategies for the Home CHAPTER 11 Resources for Children CHAPTER 12 Resources for Adults Glossary References About the Authors