What if the biggest threat to your child's development isn't screen time, social media, or even the dangers we're constantly trying to protect them from? What if it's the fact that we're not letting them do anything on their own?

Today, I'm joined by Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free-Range Kids movement, president of Let Grow, and the woman once labeled "America's Worst Mom" for letting her nine-year-old ride the New York City subway alone.

We're raising what might be the most supervised generation of children in history. Kids are expected to perform academically at younger and younger ages, yet we're increasingly reluctant to let them walk down the street, play outside without an adult, or solve their own problems.

And Lenore believes we're paying a serious price for it.

In this conversation, we explore how parental fear has transformed childhood, why independence is essential for developing confidence and resilience, and why simply taking away our kids' phones won't solve the problem.

We also talk about the surprising research on what kids actually want to do with their free time, how our obsession with safety can create entirely different risks, and what parents can do TODAY to start raising more capable, confident, independent kids.

Because our job isn't to eliminate every possible risk from childhood. It's to raise children who can navigate the world without us.

Resources mentioned:

Let Grow: https://letgrow.org — Free resources and programs to help families and schools give kids more independence.

Lenore's Book: Free Range Kids

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