The Gift of Failure：How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

InthetraditionofPaulTough'sHowChildrenSucceedandWendyMogel'sTheBlessingofaSkinnedKnee,thisgroundbreakingmanifestofocusesonthecriticalschoolyearswhenparentsmustlearntoallowtheirchildrentoexperiencethedisappointmentandfrustrationthatoccurfromlife'sinevitableproblemssothattheycangrowuptobesuccessful,resilient,andself-reliantadults.Modernparentingisdefinedbyanunprecedentedlevelofoverprotectiveness:parentswhorushtoschoolatthewhimofaphonecalltodeliverforgottenassignments,whochallengeteachersonreportcarddisappointments,mastermindchildren'sfriendships,andinterfereontheplayingfield.AsteacherandwriterJessicaLaheyexplains,eventhoughtheseparentsseethemselvesasbeinghighlyresponsivetotheirchildren'swellbeing,theyaren'tgivingthemthechancetoexperiencefailure--ortheopportunitytolearntosolvetheirownproblems.Overparentinghasthepotentialtoruinachild'sconfidenceandunderminetheireducation,Laheyremindsus.Teachersdon'tjustteachreading,writing,andarithmetic.Theyteachresponsibility,organization,manners,restraint,andforesight--importantlifeskillschildrencarrywiththemlongaftertheyleavetheclassroom.Providingapathtowardsolutions,Laheylaysoutablueprintwithtargetedadviceforhandlinghomework,reportcards,socialdynamics,andsports.Mostimportantly,shesetsforthaplantohelpparentslearntostepbackandembracetheirchildren'sfailures.Hard-hittingyetwarmandwise,TheGiftofFailureisessentialreadingforparents,educators,andpsychologistsnationwidewhowanttohelpchildrensucceed.