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The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child

A Workbook

Author William Stixrud, PhD, Ned Johnson
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Paperback
$20.00 US
Penguin Adult HC/TR | Penguin Life
7.3"W x 9.06"H x 0.64"D  
On sale Mar 25, 2025 | 272 Pages | 9780143138259
Grades 6-12
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From the authors of What Do You Say? and The Self-Driven Child, a workbook of vital practices and step-by-step resources for parents striving to raise self-motivated, secure, and joyfully driven children

A guide to move from understanding the science and value behind nonanxious parenting to developing and sharpening the essential skills parents need to be a trusted resource for growing kids.

Authors William Stixrud and Ned Johnson have watched firsthand as the crisis around education and the mental health crisis in childhood have converged in the postpandemic years. Their book The Self-Driven Child was ahead of the curve in addressing the way these forces converge in adolescents at pivotal moments as children develop their sense of autonomy, ambition, self-discipline, and learning style. As the authors have continued to lecture on the book’s subject, parents have again and again homed in on the value of the model dialogues and practice prompts.

Using material from their current work with parents and children, and pulling essential principles from the science in The Self-Driven Child, this workbook guides parents to develop the practice of being a nonanxious presence in children’s lives, as well as introducing essential skills for navigating the pressure cooker of school. With prompts to help parents diagnose and rewire their instinctual response​s to stressful situations, exercises to give them the language to communicate clearly and calmly, and lists to keep anxiety responses in check and big-picture goals in view, this workbook will bring peace and clarity to parents and educators seeking to support the unique path each child traverses on the road to growing up.
© Adam Pressman
William Stixrud, Ph.D. is a clinical neuropsychologist and a faculty member at Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University Medical School. He lectures and writes widely on the adolescent brain, meditation, and the effects of stress, sleep deprivation, and technology overload on the brain. He is on the board of the David Lynch Foundation. View titles by William Stixrud, PhD
© Joi Donaldson
Ned Johnson is the founder of PrepMatters and the coauthor of Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed. A sought-after speaker and teen coach for study skills, parent-teen dynamics, and anxiety management, his work has been featured on NPR, NewsHour, U.S. News & World Report, Time, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. View titles by Ned Johnson
“[The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child] explains how to calmly give [kids] control over their lives and emotions instead of relying on test scores or a college acceptance letter to dictate happiness.”
—The Boston Globe

“For those who love the wit and wisdom of Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson in The Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say? (myself included), what a gift it is to have a workbook to help us make best practices become our own practices. HIGHLY recommended!”
—Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling co-author of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline, and Founder of The Center for Connection

“Admittedly, I love anything William Stixrud and Ned Johnson create—their book The Self-Driven Child has been my most powerful parenting resource in recent years. The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child takes things to a whole new (and practical) level by offering actionable, science-based tools to shift your lens so you can show up as the mentor your child needs to help them become confident, motivated, and resilient. If you want to know how to foster autonomy while staying deeply connected, this book will give you the ideas and inspiration to make it happen.”
—Debbie Reber, CEO & Founder Tilt Parenting, author Differently Wired

“Finally, a parenting book that doesn't add to your anxiety—it relieves it. Through practical exercises and tools, The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child guides you from control to connection, helping you become the parent you want to be. As someone drowning in parenting books and constant self-doubt, I found this workbook to be different. It's not another list of 'shoulds'—it's a pathway to understanding how to step back, trust your children's inherent capabilities, and nurture their independence. Stixrud and Johnson offer a refreshing approach that benefits both parent and child, turning daily power struggles into opportunities for growth. If you're ready to trade perfectionism for peace and micromanaging for mutual respect, this workbook will show you how.”
—Jeffrey Selingo, higher education expert and author of Who Gets in and Why? A Year Inside College Admissions

About

From the authors of What Do You Say? and The Self-Driven Child, a workbook of vital practices and step-by-step resources for parents striving to raise self-motivated, secure, and joyfully driven children

A guide to move from understanding the science and value behind nonanxious parenting to developing and sharpening the essential skills parents need to be a trusted resource for growing kids.

Authors William Stixrud and Ned Johnson have watched firsthand as the crisis around education and the mental health crisis in childhood have converged in the postpandemic years. Their book The Self-Driven Child was ahead of the curve in addressing the way these forces converge in adolescents at pivotal moments as children develop their sense of autonomy, ambition, self-discipline, and learning style. As the authors have continued to lecture on the book’s subject, parents have again and again homed in on the value of the model dialogues and practice prompts.

Using material from their current work with parents and children, and pulling essential principles from the science in The Self-Driven Child, this workbook guides parents to develop the practice of being a nonanxious presence in children’s lives, as well as introducing essential skills for navigating the pressure cooker of school. With prompts to help parents diagnose and rewire their instinctual response​s to stressful situations, exercises to give them the language to communicate clearly and calmly, and lists to keep anxiety responses in check and big-picture goals in view, this workbook will bring peace and clarity to parents and educators seeking to support the unique path each child traverses on the road to growing up.

Author

© Adam Pressman
William Stixrud, Ph.D. is a clinical neuropsychologist and a faculty member at Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University Medical School. He lectures and writes widely on the adolescent brain, meditation, and the effects of stress, sleep deprivation, and technology overload on the brain. He is on the board of the David Lynch Foundation. View titles by William Stixrud, PhD
© Joi Donaldson
Ned Johnson is the founder of PrepMatters and the coauthor of Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed. A sought-after speaker and teen coach for study skills, parent-teen dynamics, and anxiety management, his work has been featured on NPR, NewsHour, U.S. News & World Report, Time, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. View titles by Ned Johnson

Praise

“[The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child] explains how to calmly give [kids] control over their lives and emotions instead of relying on test scores or a college acceptance letter to dictate happiness.”
—The Boston Globe

“For those who love the wit and wisdom of Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson in The Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say? (myself included), what a gift it is to have a workbook to help us make best practices become our own practices. HIGHLY recommended!”
—Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling co-author of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline, and Founder of The Center for Connection

“Admittedly, I love anything William Stixrud and Ned Johnson create—their book The Self-Driven Child has been my most powerful parenting resource in recent years. The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child takes things to a whole new (and practical) level by offering actionable, science-based tools to shift your lens so you can show up as the mentor your child needs to help them become confident, motivated, and resilient. If you want to know how to foster autonomy while staying deeply connected, this book will give you the ideas and inspiration to make it happen.”
—Debbie Reber, CEO & Founder Tilt Parenting, author Differently Wired

“Finally, a parenting book that doesn't add to your anxiety—it relieves it. Through practical exercises and tools, The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child guides you from control to connection, helping you become the parent you want to be. As someone drowning in parenting books and constant self-doubt, I found this workbook to be different. It's not another list of 'shoulds'—it's a pathway to understanding how to step back, trust your children's inherent capabilities, and nurture their independence. Stixrud and Johnson offer a refreshing approach that benefits both parent and child, turning daily power struggles into opportunities for growth. If you're ready to trade perfectionism for peace and micromanaging for mutual respect, this workbook will show you how.”
—Jeffrey Selingo, higher education expert and author of Who Gets in and Why? A Year Inside College Admissions

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