Today I am speaking with the wonderful writer, speaker, and human known as Julie Lythcott-Haims about her latest book "Your Turn: How to Be an Adult." You may already know Julie as the New York Times bestselling author of the anti-helicopter parenting manifesto How to Raise an Adult which gave rise to a TED Talk that has more than 5 million views, all about why we shouldn't give our kids a check-listed childhood. Or you may know her from her second book: the critically-acclaimed and award-winning prose poetry memoir Real American, which illustrates her experience as a Black and biracial person in white spaces. Today this former corporate lawyer and Stanford dean, who serves on the board of Common Sense Media, and on the advisory board of LeanIn.Org, is here with us!

2:00 Let's meet Julie!

5:00 Julie's deep respect for the younger generation.

11:00 The letter in the mail that made her see why she needed to write this book.

13:00 Abigail shares what she sees as the trap of gentle parenting, and how this differs from parenting according to our values.

17:00 At twenty-six, Julie learned that her and her husband's moving truck was on fire. It was her first real experience of adulting.

23:00 We discuss growth mindset, and the work of Carol Dweck.

24:00 Learning to receive the gift of painful feedback.

 27:00 Creating the space for “I'm here to have a voice but I'm also here to listen.”

29:00 Humans are complicated, and yet human connection is crucial to our health.

34:00 Our "silent sacred promises" and how they come to define us.

39:00 Making things better for the world gives our lives purpose.

42:00 The natural process of entering into our "wild" years.

45:00 Admitting that we wish we could protect our children, but in our hearts we know they are likely to encounter tremendous difficulty at times. 

52:00 Julie's inspiring commitment to inclusion in the writing of her book.

56:00 One of the more secret reasons Julie wrote her book. :) 

Where to find out more about Julie:

julielythcotthaims.com

Your Turn: How to Be an Adult

Julie's Commitment to Inclusion