In this episode of The Self-Driven Child Podcast, I’m joined by the brilliant Dr. Bill Stixrud, co-author of The Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say? We dive into the challenges parents face around academic pressure, mental health, and helping kids find their way without being overwhelmed by stress. Bill shares powerful insights on why a sense of control is so essential to young people's mental well-being, and we explore practical strategies for fostering resilience, decision-making, and problem-solving skills in children.

This episode is perfect for parents, educators, or anyone working with kids who wants to learn how to support them better without adding more pressure. If you're looking to understand how to motivate your kids without micromanaging or forcing change, you’ll love what we have to share. Tune in as we unpack the importance of being a “consultant” to your child and how building strong, empathetic connections can reduce stress and improve mental health.

Episode Highlights:
[00:00 ] – Introduction to the episode and discussing the importance of the parent consultant approach.
[2:33 ] – The connection between academic pressure and adolescent mental health, and why it’s a global issue.
[5:58 ] – Why a sense of control is key to mental health, and how we can foster that in our kids.
[8:17 ] – How increasing a child’s sense of control improves both their learning and decision-making.
[9:14 ] – Five key principles for parents to raise self-driven children, with connection being the foundation.
[11:48 ] – Exploring the consultant approach: empowering kids to solve their own problems.
[21:53 ] – How to reduce stress for both you and your child by changing the way you approach decisions.
[24:31 ] – The power of letting kids make their own decisions and learn from their mistakes.

Links & Resources:

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If you have a high school aged student and would like to talk about putting a tutoring or college plan together, reach out to Ned's company, PrepMatters at www.prepmatters.com