How to Raise an Adult

By Julie Lythcott-Haims,

Book cover of How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success

Book description

Across a decade as Stanford University's dean of freshmen, Julie Lythcott-Haims noticed a startling rise in parental involvement in students' lives. Every year, more parents were exerting control over students' academic work, extracurricular, and career choices, taking matters into their own hands rather than risk their child's failure or disappointment.…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

3 authors picked How to Raise an Adult as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Julie was a former Dean of Students at Stanford University. She shares how she realized that she was working with kids who had “checked every box” and earned acceptance to one of the most selective universities in the world. However, she could not help but notice that despite their stellar list of achievements and impressive resumes, they sorely lacked the skills necessary to transition to the adult world of navigating normal roommate conflicts or even making minor decisions without the help of their parents.

This book is a great reminder that as parents, our ultimate goal is to prepare our…

Lythcott-Haims, former Dean of Students and Admissions at Stanford University, offers an exceptional parenting book that encourages parents to do less, not more for their children. The book takes on the negative outcomes that “helicopter parenting” has on children as they reach adulthood. The author backs up her messaging with solid research and personal interviews. She explains where students fail to thrive in college, and discusses the role that parents play by shielding their children from college-readiness, including learning to make mistakes and solve their own problems. This is a guidebook that encourages parents to allow their children independence and…

A former Stanford dean, Lythcott-Haims saw many intelligent but fragile college students. While they were high achieving students, they had been escorted by their parents from “milestone to milestone,” and as young adults, they were unprepared to deal with challenges themselves. Some had trouble even making their own decisions without consulting their parents. This book not only reveals the problems with overmanaging kids’ school work but provides practical advice on how to give kids the space they need to learn how to manage their own lives.

From Sara's list on raising self-reliant children.

If you love How to Raise an Adult...

Ad

Book cover of The Curiosity Cycle: Preparing Your Child for the Ongoing Technological Explosion

The Curiosity Cycle by Jonathan Mugan,

The Curiosity Cycle is a book for parents and educators who want to teach their children to be active explorers of the world. Learning through curiosity leads to adaptive thinking because your child is continually trying to improve his or her understanding of the world, and new facts and ideas…

Want books like How to Raise an Adult?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like How to Raise an Adult.

Browse books like How to Raise an Adult

Book cover of Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow
Book cover of Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life
Book cover of Mommy Laid An Egg: Or, Where Do Babies Come From?

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,760

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like How to Raise an Adult, you might also like...

Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old? by Joy Loverde,

Book cover of Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old?: Plan Now to Safeguard Your Health and Happiness in Old Age

Everything you need to know to plan for your own safe, financially secure, healthy, and happy old age.

For those who have no support system in place, the thought of aging without help can be a frightening, isolating prospect. Whether you have friends and family ready and able to help…

Return to Hope Creek by Alyssa J. Montgomery,

Book cover of Return to Hope Creek

Return to Hope Creek is a second-chance rural romance set in Australia.

Stella Simpson's career and engagement are over. She returns to the rural community of Hope Creek to heal, unaware her high school and college sweetheart, Mitchell Scott, has also moved back to town to do some healing of…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in parenting, helicopter parenting, and Christianity?

Parenting 391 books
Christianity 689 books