Role Reboot

Why I Hope My Kids Fail

High school graduation is important, but so is growing into responsible, caring, and compassionate adults—and you won’t find that on the SATs. “I’ll never be like you,” my daughter tells me. She’s 16 now, angry because I grounded her for skipping school, and I try not to let her barbs find my fleshy, soft spots. […]

Why Parents Need To Step Back And Let Their Kids Experience Failure

“Today’s overprotective, failure-avoidant parenting style has undermined the competence, independence, and academic potential of an entire generation.” Over the past couple of years there’s been a growing rally cry in support of failure. I first noticed this in 2013, when I had coffee with Harvard professor Sarah Lewis to talk about a book she was […]