The Power of Independent Play: An Interview with Lenore Skenazy

CALM AND CONNECTED - EPISODE 166 How do you encourage your kids to be more independent? When do you as a parent step back to give them the space to step up? Lenore Skenazy joins Janine today to discuss some of these questions. They discuss:  The importance of play and how it relieves stress Bodily reaction to fear and avoidance to fear Playing across mixed age groups The skills you learn when you play  The Let Grow Program Setting tasks for your kids to do on their own without a parent there  Passive kids and problem solving  Kids having the concierge life How Lenore likes to rest and relax  About The Guest -  Lenore Skenazy After her newspaper column “Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone” created a media firestorm, Lenore got the nickname “America’s Worst Mom.” (Google it!) She went on to write Free-Range Kids, the book-turned-movement that says our kids are smarter, safer, and stronger than our culture gives them credit for!  Lenore has lectured everywhere from DreamWorks to Microsoft to Harvard Med School, Yale Child Study Center -- and the Bulgarian Happiness Festival! (For real.) On TV, you may have seen her on The Today Show, The Daily Show or her own reality show, World’s Worst Mom.  In 2017 Lenore co-founded Let Grow, the nonprofit promoting childhood independence, with three others, including Jonathan “The Anxious Generation” Haidt. She is its president.  Lenore lives in New York City with her husband and beloved computer. Her children are gainfully employed. (Phew!) And, for the record, she used to write for Mad Magazine. Yep. MAD. But now she's so serious that here is her piece on "Independence as Therapy" in The New York Times.  Website - https://letgrow.org/ For parents: https://letgrow.org/program/parents-and-families/ For schools/teachers/admins/counselors: https://letgrow.org/program/educators/ For therapists: https://letgrow.org/program/independence-therapy/ Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/759938234394061 About The Host - Janine Halloran Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an author, a speaker, an entrepreneur and a mom. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Janine has been working primarily with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is the Founder of 'Coping Skills for Kids', where she creates products and resources to help kids learn to cope with their feelings in safe and healthy ways. Janine also founded 'Encourage Play’ which dedicated to helping kids learn and practice social skills in the most natural way - through play! If you're interested in learning more about how to teach kids coping skills, download your free Coping Skills Toolkit: https://copingskillsforkids.com/newsletter If you're interested in joining the Coping Skills Community Hub, an ever-expanding resource library and community of families and professionals teaching kids how to cope, learn more at https://copingskillsforkids.com/hub If you'd like to purchase Janine's products, including the Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Skills for Teens Workbook, Social Skills for Kids Workbook, Coping Cue Cards, and more, visit https://store.copingskillsforkids.com or https://amazon.com/copingskillsforkids Connect with Janine on Social Media Instagram: @copingskillsforkids Facebook: facebook.com/copingskillsforkids and facebook.com/encourageplay Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JanineHalloranEncouragePlay