005: The "Worst Mom in America" on Raising Confident, Free-Range Kids with Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow

Our interview guest today has been a journalist and writer for many years and earned herself the title of “Worst Mom in America.” I’m so proud to interview her because she earned that title when she let her 9-year-old ride the subway alone and wasn’t afraid to write about it in a major publication. 🙂

Growing wings from the firestorm that ensued, she published a book called Free-Range Kids and has been an advocate for letting kids grow ever since. She encourages legislation to protect parents when they are making wise choices for their children’s independence and even has a nonprofit offering curriculum to schools and families with the sole purpose of encouraging adults to step back so that children can step up.

If you want to raise healthy, independent adults, this half-hour will enlighten and inspire you, edifying you to push back in the face of a culture that seems to be flying away with helicopter parenting.

Let’s ground that movement!

Resources We Mention to Raise a Confident Child

• Lenore’s website
• Let Grow Independence Kit: FREE to download — there are ideas for things your kids to do independently and an explanation of how independence makes kids less anxious, more confident, and competent.
• Follow Let Grow on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and X.
• Follow Lenore on social media: Facebook and X.
• Lenore’s book Free-Range Kids (Amazon/Bookshop.org)
• Range by David Epstein (Amazon/Bookshop.org)
• Benefits of letting kids fail with Jessica Lahey
• Raising adults with Julie Lythcott-Haimes
• Challenges to raising adults in today’s culture
• Free knife skills class from me!

Find today's show notes, video, and time-stamped "skim notes" at https://www.kidscookrealfood.com/005. 

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