How to Raise an Adult
/Break Free of the Over-Parenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success
By Julie Lythcott-Haims
The author, Julie Lythcott-Haims was the freshman dean at Stanford University for 10 years. Her experience working with eighteen to twenty-two year olds is fascinating. This book is for the helicopter parent as well as every other parent trying to raise productive adults. In the end, we, as parents, need to understand our role in guiding our children from childhood to adulthood.
Ms. Lythcott-Haims is a “tell it like it is” type of person so she holds nothing back in her book. I especially liked the Teach Life Skills chapter where she outlines what kids are capable of accomplishing by themselves and what age. Building skills in children should look like this:
- First we do it for you.
- Then we do it with you.
- Then we watch you do it.
- Then you do it completely independently.
Kids are living much more stressful lives than ever before due to societal and parental pressure so chores and basic life skills seem to be low on the priority list.
How to Raise An Adult is a must have guidebook for parents who want to raise children who thrive in a fast paced economy.
