Jessica Lahey

Author of the New York Times bestseller The Gift of Failure

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Book Recommendations:

Recommended by Jessica Lahey

Dr. Robyn has created a step-by-step manual with real-life examples of what to say to children on any subject. Her scripts are actionable and essential. A sorely needed resource for parents (from Amazon)

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER A step-by-step guide to answering your kids' toughest questions "When people die, where do they go?" "Why is her skin darker than mine?" "But how does the baby get in there?" Don't panic. While we know that the first step to connecting deeply with our kids is being able to communicate, empathize, and answer their biggest queries, what do you do when that tricky-to-answer question comes out of the blue? Sometimes we just don't know what to say, so we simply change the subject or give a quick, throwaway answer―and hope it doesn't come up again. Dr. Robyn Silverman, host of the How to Talk to Kids About Anything Parenting Podcast, gets it. A child development specialist and mom, she'll stick with you every step of the way. In this book, Dr. Robyn takes you through the whole spectrum of kids' curious questions, giving you the strategies and scripts to prepare you for life's most challenging conversations. That way your kids get age-appropriate information straight from you, their trusted source, rather than from peers, the media, or the internet. You'll learn how to develop calm, well-thought-out answers to tricky questions on subjects including: DeathSexFriendshipDivorceMoneyAnd more!Drawing on the expertise of dozens of well-known experts, Dr. Robyn's decades of working with children and teens, and her personal experience as a mom, How to Talk to Kids About Anything is a vital resource for parents who value having honest, meaningful conversations with their kids. When you just can't find the right words, this book will be your guide to talking to your kids about anything as they grow from toddlers to teens… and beyond. Makes for a thoughtful gift for new parents!

Recommended by Jessica Lahey

The giving and receiving of feedback is fraught territory, easily the most challenging part of my work as a teacher. The Feedback Fix is a fantastic resource, with practical, actionable advice on how to formulate quality feedback for others and hear the constructive criticism and praise. (from Amazon)

The Feedback Fix: Dump the Past, Embrace the Future, and Lead the Way to Change book cover

by Joe Hirsch, Marshall Goldsmith executive coach business educator and bestselling aut Marshall Goldsmith executive coach business educator and bestselling aut·You?

Highly recommended by bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith The secret to giving better feedback isn’t what we say – it’s what others hear. Too often, people hear about a past they can’t control, not a future they can. That changes with “feedforward” – a radical approach to sharing feedback that unleashes the performance and potential of everyone around us. From managers and coaches trying to energize their teams, to teachers hoping to motivate their students, to parents looking to empower their children, people from all walks of life want others to hear what they have to say. Through a lively blend of stories and studies, The Feedback Fix shows them how by presenting a six-part REPAIR plan that spreads feedforward across boardrooms, classrooms, and even dining rooms. Even with drastic changes in how we work and live, the experiences we create for others – joy or fear, growth or decline, success or failure – still hang on the feedback we share. The Feedback Fix makes a compelling argument for getting what we want by giving others what they need – all while rebuilding the way we lead, learn, and live.

Recommended by Jessica Lahey

There is no resource I recommend more often than Grown & Flown. This book is an invaluable guide for parents who want to raise independent, competent, and resilient kids who know they are loved. (from Amazon)

PARENTING NEVER ENDS. From the founders of the #1 site for parents of teens and young adults comes an essential guide for building strong relationships with your teens and preparing them to successfully launch into adulthood The high school and college years: an extended roller coaster of academics, friends, first loves, first break-ups, driver’s ed, jobs, and everything in between. Kids are constantly changing and how we parent them must change, too. But how do we stay close as a family as our lives move apart? Enter the co-founders of Grown and Flown, Lisa Heffernan and Mary Dell Harrington. In the midst of guiding their own kids through this transition, they launched what has become the largest website and online community for parents of fifteen to twenty-five year olds. Now they’ve compiled new takeaways and fresh insights from all that they’ve learned into this handy, must-have guide. Grown and Flown is a one-stop resource for parenting teenagers, leading up to―and through―high school and those first years of independence. It covers everything from the monumental (how to let your kids go) to the mundane (how to shop for a dorm room). Organized by topic―such as academics, anxiety and mental health, college life―it features a combination of stories, advice from professionals, and practical sidebars. Consider this your parenting lifeline: an easy-to-use manual that offers support and perspective. Grown and Flown is required reading for anyone looking to raise an adult with whom you have an enduring, profound connection.