Building Self Efficacy in Children

In her 2015 Ted Talks, Julie Lythcott-Haims examines the importance of building self efficacy in children. Lythcott-Haims, former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford, believes real success at the end of the college process may not be acceptance into the “biggest, brand name college.” Instead, Lythcott-Haims’ advice to parents is to avoid the dangers of a “checklist childhood.”

Lythcott-Haims believes parents who build self efficacy in their children help them understand how their “actions lead to specific outcomes.” She also believes parents who build self efficacy in their children create real world opportunities for them to “think, plan, decide, hope, and cope” — skills that are essential to a healthy life experience.

For more insights from Julie Lythcott-Haims, read her New York Times Bestseller, How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success. tlb