So what can parents do to ease the mounting pressure? Here are some tips:

• Have open conversations. Listen to your teen and understand their stressors. Discuss reasonable expectations and how to balance academics with self-care. Make it clear your love is unconditional, not tied to grades or achievements.
• Help them prioritize. With limited time, what matters most? Encourage teens to focus on a few activities they truly enjoy rather than piling on everything. Quality over quantity.
• Emphasize learning over grades. Praise effort and growth rather than just high marks. Share your own failures and what you learned from them. Model lifelong learning.
• Advocate for change. Address excessive homework loads, sleep deprivation and narrow definitions of success with teachers and administrators. Fight for policies that better support student well-being.
• Allow downtime. All work and no play is unhealthy. Ensure teens take breaks, get enough sleep and make time for family and friends. Don't overload their schedule.
• Get professional support. If anxiety or depression arises, seek counseling. Therapists can teach healthy coping strategies tailored to your teen's needs.
• Take care of yourself. Being a calm, centered parent is the best gift you can give. Model self-care and get support so you don't become overbearing.

With care and wisdom, parents can relieve much of the unnecessary stress today's teens feel. The high school years should be a time of exploration, growth and joy. Working together, we can help students create that reality.