In 2015, I picked up a book, read the back cover and instantly it resonated with me. As a mom raising kids of my own, I knew how easy it was to slide into the role of the overprotective mama bear, wanting to shield my babies from any discomfort. But I also knew that doing that would come at a cost. Wanting to raise resilient, confident, independent adults who could function in the world on their own was always my intention but it wasn't going to be easy. I had to be strong. And in fact for many of the years, I was raising my children on my own.
When I read, How to Raise an Adult, it reinforced a concern that I was already having about the impact helicopter parenting was having on their children, and their young adults. I knew in my gut this parenting style was going to create problems down the line. In all fairness to parents who adopted this approach, the cultural message was made very clear; a good parent did everything for their child. But where did that leave kids, when their parents weren't around? Who was fighting their battles, rescuing them from school yard bullies, solving their problems? It made me uncomfortable to think that if I did that for my kids, I was leaving them without armour, and that was not what I wanted for them.
The book went on to become a New York Times bestseller, and the author did a Ted Talk called Raising Successful Kids Without Overparenting that has now been viewed over 8.2 million times. You can only imagine how deeply meaningful this episode is for me and how honored I am to have Julie Lythcott-Haims as my guest on LAUNCH .
In addition to "How to Raise an Adult", Julie is also the author of "Your Turn: How to Be an Adult" and "Real American", a critically acclaimed, award-winning memoir. Julie's work spans writing, speaking, teaching, mentoring, and activism.
This conversation felt less like an interview and more like a heartfelt discussion between two people who care deeply about helping parents who are living with their young adults. We talked about what's happening in the home, the challenges parents are facing, the issues that young adults are dealing with, and what it actually takes for a family of adults to truly enjoy living together.
Sometimes the hardest part about having virtual interviews is that I never get to give my guests a hug after we've talked about such important issues. I would have loved to give Julie that hug for how open and honest she was about her family experience. I couldn't be more thankful to her.
I hope you find this conversation inspiring and thought-provoking. If so, please feel free to share it with a friend or simply leave a comment.
The video version of this episode will also be made available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@sharijonaslifefx
To contact Julie, everything
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