A big thing that's missing is how people define "success" for themselves and their kids. I'm sure many of the "elites" that folks are talking about here think that "success" means you have to make 7 figures, dine at the finest restaurants, rub elbows with the super-rich, live on the upper east side, and have 10 houses around the world.
The same goes for people that think their kids HAVE to go to college to achieve "success." To them, it means a a four year degree, un upper-middle class job at a good company, a house in the 'burbs, 2 kids, a dog, an SUV, etc. The thought of their kids going into the trades is some sort of a consolation prize.
Success is defined differently for everyone. Where people go off the rails is when they define it in ways that go all-or-nothing on a specific outcome and on things they can't control. Both the parents and the kids are so stressed out at all phases of life because they worry their lives will be ruined because they didn't [INSERT: get into the right daycare, get into the right private HS, get into the right college, get the right job, marry into the right family].
Stop defining success by external factors. I might not make as much money as I possibly can. I only have one house and I can't afford to take my family on vacation every single year. But my marriage is healthy, my kids are healthy, and they're getting what is a decent upbringing that (I hope) emphasizes hard work, empathy, and decency. Beyond that, it's kind of a roll of the dice.