“Instead of trusting kids with choices…many parents insist on micromanaging everything from homework to friendships. To these parents, Stixrud and Johnson have a simple message: Stop.” — NPR

“This humane, thoughtful book translates the latest brain science into valuable, practical advice for parents.” —Paul Tough, New York Times bestselling author of How Children Succeed

Some years ago, Bill Stixrud and Ned Johnson started noticing the same problem from different angles: even high-performing kids were coming to them acutely stressed and lacking motivation. Many complained that they had no control over their lives. Some stumbled in high school or got to college and fell apart. Bill is a clinical neuropsychologist who helps kids gripped by anxiety or struggling to learn. Ned is a motivational coach who runs an elite tutoring service. Together they discovered that the best antidote to stress is to give kids a greater sense of control over their lives. But this does not mean giving up your authority as a parent. In this groundbreaking book, they reveal how you can actively help your child to sculpt a resilient brain and be ready to take on new challenges.

The Self-Driven Child offers a combination of cutting-edge brain science, the latest discoveries in behavioral therapy, and case studies drawn from the thousands of children and teens Bill and Ned have helped over the years to teach you how to put your child on the true path to success. As parents, we can only take our kids so far. At some point, they will need to take the wheel and map out their own path. But there is much you can do before that to help them approach the road ahead with resilience and imagination.

Author: Dr. William Stixrud