Some amount of external pressure may help you try something that's slightly difficult and not the most obvious instant gratification available. The main thing

Some amount of external pressure may help you try something that's slightly difficult and not the most obvious instant gratification available. The main thing is to not chase some dumb good-parenting metric but to give your kid suitable obstacles so she can experience overcoming them and feel success and gain self-confidence. That's what parenting is all about: the little push that helps kids reach their potential. Easier said than done of course. I agree though that if that does not stay in the fun zone, the outcome will most likely be bad. Especially if there is some vicarious competition in the parent's head.