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Lenore Skenazy

Cofounder and president of Let Grow, an organization dedicated to normalizing childhood independence. She is known for her advocacy of free-range parenting and her book 'Free-Range Kids'.

Top 10 podcasts with Lenore Skenazy

Ranked by the Snipd community
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150 snips
Aug 26, 2025 • 15min

Why you should spend less time with your kids | Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy, cofounder of Let Grow and advocate for free-range parenting, tackles the anxiety crisis stemming from over-cautious parenting. She humorously argues for the benefits of giving kids more independence, sharing personal anecdotes like allowing her son to navigate the subway alone. Skenazy discusses how reduced parental oversight not only builds resilience but also fosters self-reliance in children, while encouraging a shift towards a balance between guidance and granting freedom.
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144 snips
Oct 11, 2025 • 44min

How to raise confident kids in an age of anxiety | Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy, a journalist and founder of the Free Range Kids movement, dives into the need for childhood independence. She shares insights on why modern parenting has become overly safety-focused and how this has contributed to rising childhood anxiety. Skenazy emphasizes the value of allowing kids to take risks and learn through mistakes. She offers practical steps for parents to gradually grant their children more freedom while building resilience. With a focus on community involvement, she inspires a shift toward confident, independent kids.
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63 snips
Sep 18, 2024 • 47min

Ep 1: Are We Over-Parenting Our Kids?

Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, discusses the alarming decline in children's independence, linking it to rising mental health issues. Tim Carney, author of 'Family Unfriendly,' highlights how contemporary culture complicates parenting, emphasizing traditional values. Lenore Skenazy, a proponent of free-range parenting, advocates for unsupervised play and its benefits. Together, they explore the consequences of over-parenting, the importance of fostering autonomy, and how societal fears have shaped modern parenting, revealing that embracing independence may enhance kids' well-being.
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30 snips
May 15, 2025 • 1h 53min

Why You Should Let Your Kids Take Risks - Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy, founder of the 'free-range kids' movement, challenges the pervasive culture of fear in American parenting. She discusses how safetyism and media sensationalism have led to overprotected children who lack confidence and independence. Lenore shares insights on the importance of risk-taking for resilience and critiques the absurdity of safety regulations. She advocates for empowering kids to explore freely, contrasting American tendencies with more lenient parenting practices in other cultures, and highlights the need for societal change in attitudes towards childhood freedom.
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16 snips
Sep 29, 2025 • 41min

How to build your kid's confidence — by leaving them alone (w/ Lenore Skenazy)

Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free Range Kids movement, discusses the importance of giving children independence to foster confidence and competence. She argues that constant parental supervision can harm kids' development and advocates for experiential learning. Lenore shares insights on how free play is essential for mental health and suggests practical steps for parents to embrace hands-off parenting. With personal anecdotes and cultural comparisons, she highlights that letting kids navigate the world themselves builds resilience and curiosity.
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10 snips
Sep 24, 2025 • 47min

Why America’s Kids Are Anxious

Lenore Skenazy, author of *Free-Range Kids* and president of Let Grow, dives into the impact of overparenting on children’s anxiety and competence. She discusses how fear-driven parenting and surveillance technology have reshaped childhood, contrasting modern fears with the freedom of 1990s childhoods. Poll findings reveal that kids crave unstructured play over screen time, and Skenazy argues for restoring independence to combat rising youth anxiety. The importance of allowing children to take risks and learn skills is emphasized as a path to healthier development.
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9 snips
Jun 14, 2025 • 56min

Lenore Skenazy on Rejecting Helicopter Parenting

In a captivating chat, Lenore Skenazy, author of "Free-Range Kids" and co-founder of Let Grow, discusses the importance of risk-taking for children. Drawing from her own experience of allowing her son to ride the New York City subway alone, she explores why parents often shy away from granting independence. They tackle the challenges of helicopter parenting, the societal fears about child safety, and the pressing need for unstructured play. Skenazy advocates for a balanced approach to parenting that fosters resilience and autonomy in kids.
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9 snips
Jun 30, 2024 • 1h 53min

More Than one Way to Skin a Knee: Lenore Skenazy on DarkHorse

Lenore Skenazy, 'America’s Worst Mom', discusses the importance of exposing kids to risks, balancing safety and independence in parenting. She highlights the need for children to engage in risky play to develop competence, resilience, and independence. The conversation explores the impact of overprotective parenting and the significance of allowing kids to navigate challenges independently for their overall growth.
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8 snips
Apr 19, 2025 • 23min

Making the Case for ‘Free-Range Parenting’

Lenore Skenazy, an author and TED Talker, champions the concept of free-range parenting, calling for more independent play for kids. She discusses the societal backlash against parents who let their children explore the world alone, sparked by her own experiences. The conversation addresses the anxiety surrounding child safety fueled by media narratives and cultural shifts. Skenazy emphasizes how fostering autonomy can enhance children's confidence and enrich family bonds, urging parents to let go of their fears and encourage self-sufficiency.
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8 snips
Feb 24, 2024 • 53min

204. Advice from "The World's Worst Mom" — A Conversation with Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy shares her radical decision to let her nine-year-old son navigate NYC alone, sparking a debate on overprotective parenting. The discussion delves into societal fears, media influence on child safety perceptions, and the importance of fostering independence in children to alleviate anxiety. It challenges the culture of extreme caution and advocates for empowering kids through unstructured play and life skills.

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