Can they do both? That's a huge balance, I think, with kids-

When Joan Cusack asked, “Can they do both? That's a huge balance, I think, with kids—trying to find the right—it's everything, you know, it's social life, it's academics, it's sports,” she gave voice to a question that every parent, teacher, and elder has wrestled with: how can the young bear so many weights at once, and still grow whole? Her words are not only a reflection on childhood, but on the eternal struggle of human life—the pursuit of balance between duty and joy, between discipline and connection, between the growth of the mind, the strength of the body, and the warmth of the heart.

The origin of this quote lies in Cusack’s life not only as a celebrated actress, but as a mother who observed firsthand the complexity of raising children in a demanding age. She saw that modern life does not ask one thing of youth—it asks many. To excel academically, to nurture friendships, to play and compete in sports, and to cultivate character—these are not separate paths, but interwoven. Yet the danger is that in pursuing one too fiercely, another may wither. Thus, her question is both tender and urgent: can they do both? Can they do it all?

History offers us many mirrors of this dilemma. In ancient Greece, the ideal of the kalokagathia—the balance of physical beauty, athletic excellence, intellectual wisdom, and moral virtue—was celebrated. The young were trained in both the gymnasium and the academy, for to be only a thinker or only an athlete was considered incomplete. And yet, even in that golden age, not all could find the balance. Some pursued glory in battle and neglected philosophy; others became lovers of wisdom but frail in body. The struggle for harmony is as old as civilization itself.

Cusack’s words also highlight the pressures of modern society. Children today are asked to compete academically in a global race, to maintain friendships in an age of fleeting digital connection, and to excel in sports that demand almost professional commitment. Many parents push their children to greatness, but at the cost of peace, joy, and rest. Her reflection is a reminder that growth is not only measured in achievements, but in wholeness of spirit. To raise a child who can balance many parts of life is far greater than raising one who excels in only one but crumbles in the others.

There is a quiet warning in her words. When balance is lost, the child becomes fractured. Too much focus on academics may breed anxiety, too much obsession with sports may leave the mind neglected, too much pursuit of social life may leave discipline forgotten. The wisdom of the parent, like that of an ancient guide, is to help weave these threads into one tapestry, so that the child does not stumble under the weight of conflicting demands, but learns to carry them with grace.

The lesson for us is timeless: seek balance, and teach balance. Do not exalt one sphere of life so high that the others fall into shadow. In guiding children—or in guiding ourselves—we must remember that life is not a single contest, but a harmony of many. To succeed in one thing while losing all others is not true victory. The wise path is to cultivate strength of body, mind, and soul together, so that no part is starved while the others thrive.

So let us take Joan Cusack’s words to heart: “It's social life, it's academics, it's sports.” Let them remind us that life is not a narrow road, but a wide and varied path. Help the young, and help yourself, to walk it not with imbalance but with harmony. For the true greatness of a life is not in excelling at one piece alone, but in weaving all into a whole—where joy, wisdom, strength, and connection stand side by side, and together form the beauty of a balanced life.