The Self-Driven Child
The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives
Ratings3
Average rating4.3
15
The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives
Ratings3
Average rating4.3
“Instead of trusting kids with choices . . . many parents insist on micromanaging everything from homework to friendships. For these parents, Stixrud and Johnson have a simple message: Stop.” —NPR “This humane, thoughtful book turns the latest brain science into valuable practical advice for parents.” —Paul Tough, New York Times bestselling author of How Children Succeed A few years ago, Bill Stixrud and Ned Johnson started noticing the same problem from different angles: Even high-performing kids were coming to them acutely stressed and lacking motivation. Many complained they had no control over their lives. Some stumbled in high school or hit college and unraveled. Bill is a clinical neuropsychologist who helps kids gripped by anxiety or struggling to learn. Ned is a motivational coach who runs an elite tutoring service. Together they discovered that the best antidote to stress is to give kids more of a sense of control over their lives. But this doesn't mean giving up your authority as a parent. In this groundbreaking book they reveal how you can actively help your child to sculpt a brain that is resilient, and ready to take on new challenges. The Self-Driven Child offers a combination of cutting-edge brain science, the latest discoveries in behavioral therapy, and case studies drawn from the thousands of kids and teens Bill and Ned have helped over the years to teach you how to set your child on the real road to success. As parents, we can only drive our kids so far. At some point, they will have to take the wheel and map out their own path. But there is a lot you can do before then to help them tackle the road ahead with resilience and imagination.
Reviews with the most likes.
This was a useful resource for thinking about how to approach conversations with your children, and how to help them build a sense of mastery and control over their own lives.
A lot of the content and examples skewed towards teenagers; the title would be a little more accurate if it clarified that it's talking about young/near adults, rather than “kids” (which makes me think of the under 10 crowd).
This book is based on the concept that autonomy = happiness (an oversimplification, but something you can read about in depth in other books). They advocate putting decision-making in the hands of the child. I already agree with this, but the quality of writing and questions at the end of each chapter help refine how to actually live this, practically. More relevant for parents of kids in school, vs toddlers, but still worth reading. This is one I would absolutely purchase for myself or other parents.
Prompt
10 books
