Journalist Melinda Winter Moyer, a contributing editor at Scientific American and science journalism teacher at NYU, has written an engaging book titled How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes. In it, she delves into evidence-based best practices for parenting. Moyer emphasizes the importance of letting kids fail to build resiliency, as overprotecting them can hinder their growth. Research suggests that when parents do too much for their children, it can lead to feelings of low self-efficacy. By allowing children to face challenges and make mistakes, parents can show their faith in their abilities and foster a growth mindset in their kids.
As an award-winning science journalist, Melinda Wenner Moyer was regularly asked to investigate and address all kinds of parenting questions: how to potty train, when and whether to get vaccines, and how to help kids sleep through the night. But as Melinda's children grew, she found that one huge area was ignored in the realm of parenting advice: How do we make sure our kids don't grow up to be assholes?