I guess you could say I’m in the “second-guessing” stage of parenting. Penn and I are very aware that we don’t have many more years “on the record” with our kids. Especially with a child who is about to go off to college, I feel like every day I am trying to bestow the most life advice possible. I’m always wondering: Have I done enough to help my kids become their best selves?
Did I hover too much or not enough? Did I expose them to enough to help ignite their curiosity? Does the fact that I still make breakfast for them every day mean they won’t be able to feed themselves as an adult?
It turns out, I’m not the only one asking these questions.
A Sense of Possibility
I’ve always been fascinated by how birth order shapes family dynamics, especially as we navigate this season of parenting. On this week’s podcast, we chatted with Susan Dominus, an award-winning writer for The New York Times and a journalism professor at Yale. Her new book, The Family Dynamic, is all about what makes exceptional families tick—and since she couldn’t find a book that explored this, she spent years writing it herself.
Susan’s research shows that exceptional families foster a sense of possibility. Rather than pushing children toward a specific career path or achievement, parents in these families create an environment where big dreams seem attainable.
In today’s world, parents often struggle to strike a balance between support and being overbearing. Many parents (including us) admit to jumping in too quickly to solve problems for their children rather than letting them struggle and learn independently. Susan suggests that one of the best things parents can do is step back and foster resilience.
Striking A Balance
Parents often feel immense pressure to “get it right,” but research suggests that success is less about following a rigid formula. Rather than micromanaging every aspect of a child’s development, the key might just be stepping back and letting them find their own way.
Listen as we dig into what sets thriving families apart, what we can learn from them, and how to help our own kids succeed. Plus, we wrap up with another hilarious Top 5 list from Penn. Susan’s book is available for pre-order now and comes out May 6th.
