As parents, our instinct is to shield our kids from discomfort—but what if removing challenges is actually increasing their anxiety? In this episode, I dive into a powerful story from The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt that perfectly illustrates why kids need struggle to grow stronger.
I share the surprising science behind resilience, the dangers of overprotection, and practical ways to help your child develop the confidence and skills they need to face life’s challenges. Plus, I’ll give you actionable steps to start fostering independence in your child today—no matter their age!
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How overprotecting kids leads to increased anxiety
✅ The science behind stress wood and what trees teach us about resilience
✅ Practical ways to introduce healthy challenges to your child’s life
✅ How to help your child develop problem-solving skills and independence
✅ Small, everyday actions that build emotional strength and confidence
Resources & Links:
📖 The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt –
🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more insights
🎧 Listen to past podcast episodes
If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review and share it with a fellow parent! Let’s empower our kids to face life with confidence. 💪
Find my podcast
Email me: ccoufal@cynthiacoufalcoaching.com
Text me: 785-380-2064
More information
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!