The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey

In 'The Gift of Failure,' Jessica Lahey challenges conventional parenting wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on how to raise resilient, self-reliant children. Packed with real-life case studies and practical advice, this book advocates for a shift from overprotection to fostering independence. Lahey argues that by allowing children to experience failure, parents can help them develop essential life skills and a growth mindset. /n/nThe book is not just about changing parenting techniques but also about understanding the psychological benefits of failure. Lahey draws on her extensive experience as an educator and parent to provide insights into how to create an environment where children can thrive through challenges. This thought-provoking read is a must for any parent looking to raise confident, capable, and emotionally intelligent children.

Reviews

maxmednik.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22

insightful 4.50

The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey offers valuable insights into the importance of allowing children to experience failure as a means of building resilience and independence. The book challenges conventional parenting and educational practices, advocating for a shift in mindset to foster growth and learning.

The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey is a compelling exploration of how modern parenting and educational systems often shield children from failure, inadvertently hindering their development. Lahey argues that embracing failure is crucial for children to learn resilience, problem-solving skills, and self-reliance. The book provides practical advice for parents and educators on how to create an environment that encourages risk-taking and learning from mistakes. By shifting the focus from protecting children from failure to teaching them how to cope with it, Lahey believes we can raise more confident and capable individuals. The book is not just about parenting; it's about fostering a cultural shift that values growth over perfection.

Quick quotes

The idea that failure is a necessary part of learning and growth is central to the book.

Lahey argues that parents and educators must rethink their approach to failure.

The book emphasizes the importance of allowing children to experience the natural consequences of their actions.

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22

depressing 3.50

The book is a depressing account of Venezuela's collapse, highlighting the catastrophic impact of authoritarian populism on the country's economy and social fabric. It also criticizes the Trump administration's handling of the situation.

The book is a depressing account of Venezuela's collapse, highlighting the catastrophic impact of authoritarian populism on the country's economy and social fabric. It draws on the author's personal contacts to provide a well-sourced account of the country's struggles with steep currency devaluations, severe shortages of food and medicines, debilitating power outages, and crippling urban crime. The book also criticizes the Trump administration's handling of the situation, revealing a shockingly ill-informed and reckless approach that wrote a distressingly dark chapter in inter-American relations. The book is a cautionary tale of how unscrupulous leaders can ruin an economy and shred the social fabric of a country.

Quick quotes

This is a cautionary tale of how unscrupulous authoritarian populists, drunk on ideology but driven primarily by the lust for power and its pecuniary rewards, can catastrophically ruin an economy and shred the social fabric of a country.

Trapped in a polarized polity rife with vitriol, paranoia, and conspiracy theories, some of Neuman’s interviewees remain blindly loyal to their tormentors, many have fled into exile, and most simply struggle to survive from day to day.

Neuman reveals a Trump administration shockingly ill informed and reckless, its disastrous improvisations writing a distressingly dark chapter in inter-American relations.

nytimes.com · Unknown · 2015-08-18

excellent 4.50

The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey is a highly recommended book that captures the grittiness of a country gone off the developmental tracks. It provides a comprehensive profile of Nicolás Maduro and the collapse of Venezuela, incorporating themes of oil's impact and economic mismanagement.

The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey is a welcome addition to the chronicles of Venezuela's Chavista experiment. It serves as a readable sequel to Raúl Gallegos' Crude Nation, offering a gritty read on the rise and fall of oil in Venezuela and the state's economic mismanagement. The book is well-qualified, written by William Neuman, a seasoned reporter for The New York Times, who provides insightful interviews of regime supporters and detractors. Neuman's work captures the pessimism of Venezuelans, especially those who have left the country. The book argues that oil shaped Venezuela, leading to widespread corruption and vulnerability to external shocks. It chronicles the atrophy of other economic sectors and the relationship between oil money and public spending. The book also explores the leadership of Nicolás Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chávez, and his inability to make decisions, leading to economic decline and the rise of illicit activities.

Quick quotes

Neuman embraces the oil-as-a-national shaper argument. He states, “It’s not so much that Venezuela produced oil; it’s that oil produced Venezuela. The country that emerged from the depths of this underdevelopment was in almost every way shaped by the economics of oil and the social and political relations that oil imposed on it.

Neuman writes, “In the eyes of its citizens the Venezuelan state is little more than an ATM — the magic box that stands between the oil in the ground and the outstretched palm, the device that performs the alchemy of turning oil into money in my pocket.

Neuman notes, “For Maduro, governing was about survival. He focused on proving to the doubters that he was up to the task.

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