Includes bibliographical references (pages 256-267).
Contents:
Introduction: how I learned to let go -- Failure: a most valuable parenting tool. How failure became a dirty word: a brief history of American parenting ; Why parenting for dependence doesn't work: the power of intrinsic motivation ; Less really is more: parenting for autonomy and competence ; Encouragement from the sidelines: the real connection between praise and self-esteem -- Learning from failure: teaching kids to turn mistakes into success. Household duties: laundry as an opportunity for competence ; Friends: accomplices to failure and the formation of identity ; Sports: losing as an essential childhood experience ; Middle school: prime time for failure ; High school and beyond: toward real independence -- Succeeding at school: learning from failure is a team effort. Parent-teacher partnerships: how our fear of failure undermines education ; Homework: how to help without taking over ; Grades: the real value of a low score -- Conclusion: what I've learned from letting go.
Summary:
All of us want the best for our children. But are we going about it the right way? We are the generation that invented over-parenting. For all our best intentions to protect our children from tripping up - rushing to school to deliver forgotten lunches, or correcting their homework to ensure they gain top marks - we are in danger of depriving them of the most important lessons of childhood. As Jessica Lahey demonstrates, disappointments, rejections and criticism are actually opportunities in disguise. Again and again, the students from her classes who have gone on to become the happiest and most successful adults are the ones who were allowed to suffer the consequences of their mistakes. In this fascinating book, packed with case studies and practical advice, Lahey proposes a gentle but vital shift in the way we parent. She urges us to step back and trust our children, and allow them to experience the joy of succeeding on their terms rather than ours.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.