Table of Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER 1: Permissive Parents, Coddled Kids, and Other Reliable Bogeymen

CHAPTER 2: Parenting in Perspective

CHAPTER 3: Overstating Overparenting

CHAPTER 4: Getting Hit on the Head Lessons: Motivation, Failure, and the Outrage over Participation Trophies

CHAPTER 5: The Underlying Values: Conditionality, Scarcity, and Deprivation

CHAPTER 6: The Attack on Self-Esteem

CHAPTER 7: Why Self-Discipline Is Overrated: A Closer Look at Grit, Marshmallows, and Control from Within

CHAPTER 8: Raising Rebels

Notes

References

Index

About the Author

Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting. The author of thirteen books and scores of articles, he lectures at education conferences and universities, as well as to parent groups and corporations. Kohn's criticisms of competition and rewards have been widely discussed and debated, and he has been described in Time magazine as "perhaps the country's most outspoken critic of education's fixation on grades and test scores."

Reviews

“With his trademark blend of skepticism and idealism, [Kohn] dismantles most of the hype surrounding motivation and competition, failure and success.”
—Boston Globe

“Kohn picks apart the script that today’s kids are coddled and lazy—complaints every generation makes about the succeeding one.”
—Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Kohn explains why the belief that modern parents are too permissive (or too overprotective) and that kids are entitled, narcissistic monsters is wrong. He has the research to back it up and creates a convincing argument.”
—San Francisco Book Review

“Filled with surprising insights and counterintuitive data. An energetic...argument against all the columnists, politicians and pundits who insist children today are spoiled.”
—Lenore Skenazy, New York Times Book Review

“A wise and passionate book—by one of the best friends our children have today—that is also a delight to read.”
—Jonathan Kozol, author of Fire in the Ashes

“A well-researched, important counter-truth to all the foolishness...A must-read for parents who care.”
—Seth Godin, author of Linchpin

“Splendid...Kohn’s analysis is incisive, witty, and fun to read. In a manner that reminds me of Voltaire, Kohn brings clear and profound social criticism to a topic of great contemporary importance.”
—William Crain, author of Reclaiming Childhood

“An insightful, well-informed, thorough analysis of the many false and hostile claims made about parents and children today. Kohn patiently dismantles myths and then provides a positive vision of parenting for our time.”
—Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, coauthor of When Will My Grown-Up Kid Grow Up?