The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives is a book written by Ned Johnson and William Stixrud, PhD. It explores the concept of self-driven learning and provides practical strategies for parents to help their children become more motivated, resilient, and independent.

The book begins by addressing the increasing levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among young people today. Johnson and Stixrud argue that these issues are often a result of a lack of control and autonomy in children’s lives. They emphasize the importance of allowing children to take ownership of their own learning and decision-making processes.

One of the key ideas presented in the book is the concept of “autonomy support.” The authors explain that when parents provide a supportive environment that encourages independence, children are more likely to develop intrinsic motivation and a sense of agency. They discuss various ways in which parents can foster autonomy support, such as allowing children to make choices, encouraging them to pursue their interests, and involving them in decision-making processes.

Johnson and Stixrud also delve into the science behind motivation and learning. They explain how the brain functions in relation to motivation and stress, highlighting the importance of reducing external pressures on children in order to promote optimal learning. The authors provide insights from neuroscience research to support their arguments and offer practical tips for parents to apply these findings in everyday life.

Furthermore, the book addresses the role of technology in children’s lives. Johnson and Stixrud discuss how excessive screen time can negatively impact children’s motivation, attention span, and overall well-being. They provide guidelines for setting healthy boundaries around technology use and suggest alternative activities that promote self-driven learning.

Throughout the book, Johnson and Stixrud share real-life stories from their experiences working with students and families. These anecdotes help illustrate the concepts discussed and provide relatable examples for parents.

In summary, “The Self-Driven Child” advocates for a shift in parenting and education approaches to empower children to become self-driven learners. It emphasizes the importance of autonomy support, reducing external pressures, and fostering intrinsic motivation. By implementing the strategies outlined in the book, parents can help their children develop resilience, independence, and a love for learning.

• The Self-Driven Child

• The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control over Their Lives
• By: Ned Johnson, William Stixrud PhD
• Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith

Many of us know we’re putting too much pressure on our kids – and on ourselves – but how do we get off this crazy train? We want our kids to succeed, be the best and do their best, but what if they don’t come along?

A few years ago, Ned Johnson and Bill Stixrud began to see the same problem from different angles: even high-achieving kids come to them with extreme stress and a real lack of motivation. . Many people complain that they don’t really have control over their lives. Johnson runs PrepMatters, an elite tutoring service that teaches teenagers how to perform better on standardized tests. Stixrud is a clinical neuropsychologist who helps patients with ADHD, anxiety, eating disorders, and depression. Both have dedicated their lives to coaching children, and they have found an unusual solution to reaching their full potential: even at a young age, children need to feel that their opinions matter. . They need more agencies. A healthy motivation depends on having a strong sense of control. So how do you do it without giving up all parental rights?

The Self-Driven Child offers a combination of brain science, the latest discoveries in behavioral therapy, and case studies drawn from the thousands of children and young people that Stixrud and Johnson have helped. for years, the same concrete advice you can apply tonight to teach yourself how to unleash your child’s potential and set them on a real path to success. We can only drive our children so far. At some point, they have to take the wheel themselves. Those who had never been allowed to make meaningful decisions until then were likely to be confused.

Have read a fair share if parenting books, hence one of the better books. IMO, it best applies to parents with children 8 and up. That’s why you’ll find the greatest value reading it while your kids are younger than that. Get ready with a prepared mind.

This book has helped me in my parenting strategies, both supporting strategies that I feel unsafe to use because no one else seems to be doing them, and teaching me new strategies. . I especially love knowing that an important part of parenting is learning about myself and my biases. The book covers a lot of specific important topics – screen time, brain development, college, alternative paths to success, anxiety, adhd and autism.

I’ve read (and listened to) many different parenting books and while none of them are “bad”, this one stands out and is definitely the best I’ve read to date. Everything the author says makes sense and is very clear when you listen to it. I just finished it and I will listen to it again.

The best thing I can do as a parent, teacher, and coach is listen to this audiobook. Thanks to this book, I changed my parenting, teaching, and coaching style. I can really feel and see a difference. I also feel better and perform better. Everyone else around me seemed to appreciate the change.

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