Join Dr. Diana Hill on The Wise Effort Show as she interviews Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, authors of ‘The Self-Driven Child’ and their new book ‘The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child.’ They discuss foundational strategies for parenting that include establishing a strong connection, acting as a consultant rather than a manager, communicating healthy expectations, teaching an accurate model of reality, motivating children without trying to change them, being a non-anxious presence, and encouraging radical downtime. The episode offers insights, examples, and personal stories, underscoring the importance of balancing support with autonomy to foster responsible, self-driven children.

Listen and Learn About:

• The Self-Driven Child Principles
• The Importance of Connection in Parenting
• Debunking the Myth of a Linear Path to Success
• The Importance of Psychological Richness
• The Hero’s Journey and Personal Setbacks

About Ned Johnson

Ned Johnson is president and “tutor-geek” of PrepMatters, an educational company providing academic tutoring and standardized test preparation. A battle-tested veteran of test prep, stress regulation and optimizing student performance, Ned has spent roughly 50,000 one-on-one hours helping students conquer an alphabet of standardized tests, learn to manage their anxiety, and develop their own motivation to succeed. With Dr. William Stixrud, Ned is co-author of The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives and What Do You Say? How To Talk With Kids To Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home, and, coming in March 2025, The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child: A Workbook. Ned is the host of the The Self-Driven Child podcast. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, US News, Seventeen, and many others. 

About Dr. William Stixrud

Dr. Stixrud is a licensed psychologist, a clinical neuropsychologist, and the founder of The Stixrud Group. In addition to conducting comprehensive evaluations, he has co-authored two books with Ned Johnson: The Self-Driven Child (Viking Books, 2018), which has been published in 18 countries and 17 languages, and What Do You Say? Talking with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home (Viking Books, 2021), and they finished a third book that will be published by Viking in February 2025.

Related Resources:

Pre-order Diana’s book Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy On What Matters Most.

Get my new audio course Level Up Your Movement with Wise Effort. It’s an audio course you listen to while you move to help you take your movement to the next level. Available Now.

I Know I Should Exercise, But…44 Reasons We Don’t Move and How to Get Over Them. is my new book with Katy Bowman and is available now.

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