Home › Education › The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives

The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives

by William Stixrud

Helping children build a sense of agency

Regular price $18.95 USD
Regular price $31.59 USD Sale price $18.95 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

Helping children build a sense of agency

William Stixrud and Ned Johnson connect children’s stress and lack of motivation with a feeling that they have little control over their lives. The book develops that premise into guidance for parents: offering children more choices while retaining parental authority. It combines brain science, behavioral-therapy research and case studies involving children and teenagers the authors have worked with. The discussion centers on helping young people develop resilience and take on challenges, with parental support shifting over time as children learn to direct more of their own lives.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Parents seeking guidance on balancing oversight with children’s independence
  • Readers interested in child development, stress and motivation
  • Those looking for parenting advice informed by brain science and case studies

Themes

Parental guidance and child autonomyStress and motivationResilienceChild development

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"Instead of trusting kids with choices . . . many parents insist on micromanaging everything from homework to friendships. For these parents, Stixrud and Johnson have a simple message: Stop." --NPR

"This humane, thoughtful book turns the latest brain science into valuable practical advice for parents." --Paul Tough, New York Times bestselling author of How Children Succeed


A few 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 they had no control over their lives. Some stumbled in high school or hit college and unraveled. 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 more of a sense of control over their lives. But this doesn't mean giving up your authority as a parent. In this groundbreaking book they reveal how you can actively help your child to sculpt a brain that is resilient, and ready to take on new challenges.

From the authors of Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say, 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 kids and teens Bill and Ned have helped over the years to teach you how to set your child on the real road to success. As parents, we can only drive our kids so far. At some point, they will have to take the wheel and map out their own path. But there is a lot you can do before then to help them tackle the road ahead with resilience and imagination.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews