In this week’s episode, I sit down with Ned Johnson, author, speaker, and founder of PrepMatters, for a Q&A surrounding the principles of raising a self-driven child.

This conversation was recorded in my membership, where community members were able to ask Ned their questions. 

Ned also talks about the book he co-authored with Bill Stixrud called What Do You Say? How to Talk to Kids to Promote Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. The book is now available for order. 

Listen in as we talk about:

• Is there anything really worth fighting about with our kids?
• Why approaching situations peacefully helps everyone come to a better solution
• How to encourage your kids to pursue their passions in this time
• Ways to support your kids without undermining their autonomy
• Tips to help neuro-diverse children when feeling unaccomplished or frustrated

Resources mentioned in the episode: 

• Purchase his new book What Do You Say with co-author Bill Stixrud here
• Purchase The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives
• Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life by Peter Gray

A professional “tutor-geek” since 1993 and battle-tested veteran of test prep, stress regulation and student performance, Ned has spent nearly more than 40,000 one-on-one hours helping students conquer an alphabet of standardized tests, learning and honing his insightful interpersonal skills. Ned coaches clients to manage their anxiety, and find the motivation to reach their full potential.  

In 2006, Ned co-authored the book Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Students Overcome the Pressure and Succeed, which tackles the outsized role anxiety plays in standardized testing. With Dr. William Stixrud, Ned co-authored The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives and “What Do You Say?: How to Talk With Kids to Promote Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home”, due out August 17. 

Their book explores how fostering children’s autonomy can help solve two challenges endemic to kids today: facing anxiety and developing intrinsic motivation. Ned is also the host of the PrepTalks podcast: conversations with parenting and education experts. Aa sought-after speaker and teen coach on study skills, sleep deprivation, parent-teen dynamics, and test anxiety, and his work is featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.

Connect with Ned

• On Instagram
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Facebook
• Prep Talks Podcast
• www.prepmatters.com

Connect with Sarah Rosensweet  

• On Instagram
• On Facebook
• https://www.sarahrosensweet.com