How to Raise an Adult with Julie Lythcott-Haims

Julie Lythcott-Haims-Haims is the New York Times bestselling author of the anti-helicopter parenting manifesto How to Raise an Adult which gave rise to a popular TED Talk. Her second book is the critically-acclaimed and award-winning prose poetry memoir Real American, which illustrates her experience as a Black and biracial person in white spaces. A third book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult, has been called a “groundbreakingly frank” guide to adulthood. 

Julie is a former corporate lawyer and Stanford dean, and she holds a BA from Stanford, a JD from Harvard, and an MFA in Writing from California College of the Arts. She currently serves on the boards of Common Sense Media and the Black Women’s Health Imperative, and on the advisory board of LeanIn.Org and Parents magazine and now the Love Your Life Show!

While Julie says she didn’t start as a parenting expert, her experience and research have made her someone I look to for leadership and expertise in the parenting and adulting realm. Her first book has greatly influenced me to have much healthier relationships with my sons. Furthermore, her work helps me feel less anxiety as a parent. I

Listen in to hear:

  • How the 80s shared our parenting,
  • Why helicopter parenting is not in our (or our child’s) best interest,
  • What she saw as a Dean at Stanford,
  • How Overparenting affects our children as they age,
  • The difference between authoritarian and authoritative parenting,
  • Short term gain with long term pain,
  • and much, much more!!

Julie Lythcott-Haims believes in humans and is deeply interested in what gets in our way. This was incredibly evident in the interview and in her work. I invite you to support her by purchasing any (or all) of her books, watching her Ted Talks, and reaching out to her via her new platform on or on Instagram. 

Julie’s Work

Her First book: How to Raise an Adult

RealAmericanHer Second Book

The Third Book: Your Turn: How to Be an Adult

Her TedTalk: How To Raise Successful Kids  – Without Over-Parenting

Connect with Julie

On Instagram

On Her Website

Her Weekly Chats and free hotline

Links and Resources Mentioned

PARENTING TEENS: The Survival Guide

The Self Driven Child by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson

What Do You Say? How to talk to kids to build motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson

What Happened to American Childhood Kate Julian, the Atlantic, May 2020

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