The Coddling of the American Mind Movie

The Coddling of the American Mind Movie

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The Coddling of the American Mind Movie
The Coddling of the American Mind Movie
How Risky Play Fights Childhood Anxiety

How Risky Play Fights Childhood Anxiety

And why we should do *less* for kids

Lenore Skenazy's avatar
Lenore Skenazy
Nov 13, 2024
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The Coddling of the American Mind Movie
The Coddling of the American Mind Movie
How Risky Play Fights Childhood Anxiety
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a young boy climbing up a tree in a park
Photo by Darla Bethea on Unsplash

Maybe you remember a time you scared yourself as a kid. You climbed higher than you expected, or went further into the forest, or agreed to a dare. Believe it or not, those experiences — not crazy risks, but mildly scary activities — were a shot in the arm against anxiety.

That’s the thinking now: Risky play can provide s…

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A guest post by
Lenore Skenazy
President and co-founder of Let Grow (LetGrow.org), the nonprofit promoting childhood independence. Founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. For more info, Google "America's Worst Mom." Really
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