Raise Confident, Independent, And Futureproof Kids
A practical guide for using fun, casual dinner conversations to prepare children to live more successful, rewarding, and fulfilling lives.
Kids Are Growing Up Without Essential Life Skills
Much of what children learn today is directed by others. School assignments are provided by teachers. Extracurricular activities are often selected by parents and guided by coaches. And in some cases, even personal hobbies are chosen by parents who want to relive their passions or feel their kids will fall behind if they don’t participate.
The result is that children spend their formative years in highly structured environments, being told what to do and how to do it. While this helps children reach educational milestones faster — it also teaches kids that success is tied to their ability to listen carefully, follow instructions, and complete assigned tasks.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the adults who tend to live the most rewarding lives are those who take initiative, make bold choices, and are highly-adaptable when things don’t go according to plan. Rather than simply following instructions or dutifully completing tasks — they’re eager to identify new ways to create value or new opportunities worth exploring, and they have the confidence to take action and overcome obstacles along the way.
We Must Raise Kids To Be Curious Problem Solvers
Today, the greatest opportunities for personal fulfillment and financial success are available to those who are curious, independent, and confident. These are the traits that will best prepare children to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world. One in which traditionally ‘safe’ and ‘predictable’ career paths are increasingly being automated or outsourced away.
And, to be clear, the word ‘confidence’ is not referring to the false-confidence that a child gets as a result of being sheltered from challenges early in life. Instead, it refers to the confidence that can only be earned through pursuing difficult challenges, experiencing occasional failures, and — when the outcome really matters to them — discovering the power to push through, not because a parent or coach insisted, but because the child chose to stick with it.
The good news is that we don’t have to instill kids with a sense of curiosity, a desire to learn, or a willingness to persevere in the face of adversity. Fortunately, a child’s sense of curiosity begins almost immediately after birth. In fact, infants and toddlers are so curious they often get themselves into trouble and are willing to push through boundaries set by their parents — even at the risk of facing punishment or consequences.
The problem today is that kids have fewer opportunities to exercise their curiosity, explore their own interests, and pursue self-selected goals. Dinner Time Conversations explains how, as parents, we can support our children in becoming more independent and confident without over-parenting or disrupting their sense of autonomy. It’s a practical and actionable guide for raising curious problem solvers who are excited to tackle the many exciting opportunities of the future.
You’ll Discover How To Better Prepare Kids To…
Take On Challenging
Hobbies & Goals
Acquire Valuable Skills
& Knowledge Faster
Gain Practical &
Useful Life Experience
Confidently Overcome
Obstacles & Setbacks
Come Up With Creative
Solutions To Problems
Adapt To Unexpected
Challenges Or Hardships
Ask Deep & Thought
Provoking Questions
Be Grateful For The
Positive Things In Life
Model Useful Traits For
Siblings & Friends
About The Author
The Simple Daily Ritual
You’ll Actually Use
There are countless books, articles, and podcasts offering up useful parenting advice. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority focus on what to do and sometimes why to do it, but what is often missing is a clear sense of how, when, and where to fit the insights into everyday life.
This book is different. It’s geared toward creating meaningful and lasting change. Rather than just leaving you with a collection of helpful tips — the insights are built around a simple daily ritual that makes it easy to guide your children’s development in a fun, practical, and actionable way.