headshot photo of Jessica Lahey

The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

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Speaker: Jessica Lahey, Educator, author, and speaker, featured in the New York Times and The Atlantic
Location:
Oak Meadow School 2 Old Pickard Lane Littleton, MA
Cost: Free; $5 suggested donation at the door

While it may seem paradoxical, the key to helping kids succeed is to give them the space they need in order to find their autonomy and motivation that come from within. Jessica Lahey summarizes the current research on overparenting, failure, praise, and learning, and explains how parents and educators can help children get the support and encouragement to succeed over the long term.

Jessica Lahey is an educator, writer, and speaker. She has taught middle and high school English, Latin, and writing for more than a decade. She writes the bi-weekly "Parent-Teacher Conference" advice column for the New York Times’ family and parenting blog, Motherlode, and her work appears regularly in The Atlantic and on Vermont Public Radio.

Jessica's January 2013 article in The Atlantic, "Why Parents Need to Let Their Children Fail," went viral and became the genesis of her book with HarperCollins. Read the article here.