The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey focuses on the critical school years when parents must learn to allow their children to experience the disappointment and frustration that occur from life’s inevitable problems so that they can grow up to be successful, resilient, and self-reliant adults. Modern parenting is defined by an unprecedented level of overprotectiveness: parents who rush to school at the whim of a phone call to deliver forgotten assignments, who challenge teachers on report card disappointments, mastermind children’s friendships, and interfere on the playing field.  As teacher and writer Lahey explains, even though these parents see themselves as being highly responsive to their children’s well-being, they aren’t giving them the chance to experience failure–or the opportunity to learn to solve their own problems. Over parenting has the potential to ruin a child’s confidence and undermine their education, Lahey reminds us. Teachers don’t just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. They teach responsibility, organization, manners, restraint, and foresight–important life skills children carry with them long after they leave the classroom. Providing a path toward solutions, Lahey lays out a blueprint with targeted advice for handling homework, report cards, social dynamics, and sports. Join Dr. Davis this fall for a book study to read and examine The Gift of Failure.  

The book study will be held on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm outside at CC (bring a chair).  We will begin meeting Sunday, September 10th and meet every Sunday through October 15th. Come for one evening together or come for all, everyone is welcome! 

Please call the Student Services Office (765) 471-8362, or use this link to register.