33: The Happiness Crisis: Rethinking How We See Our Kids’ Struggles with Dr. Jonathan Eckert

When your kid is already struggling at school, being told they need to “learn to struggle” can be hard to hear. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jon Eckert, professor at Baylor University, former teacher, and author of The Happiness Crisis: How Adversity Can Build a Resilient and Joyful Next Generation, to talk about what it actually means to support kids through hard things.We talk about why not all struggle is productive, the idea of “gritty optimism,” and how getting curious about what’s behind a kid’s struggle can change the way we support them—at home and at school. What you’ll learn: How to support a kid who’s already struggling without trying to remove every hard thingWhat makes some struggles productive—and what can make them more damagingWhy curiosity can help you uncover what’s really going on behind a struggleHow kids build confidence by seeing their own progress, especially when things don’t come easilyWhy experiences outside of school can be so important for kids who struggle there  This episode will help if: Your kid is already having a hard time, and “let them struggle” doesn’t feel like useful adviceYou’re not always sure when to step in, when to support, and when to give your kid room to work through somethingYou know there’s often more behind a behavior or struggle than what you see on the surfaceSchool has become such a big focus that you want to help your kid see their strengths beyond itYou want to help your kid build confidence from what they’re learning and doing—not just whether they succeed Resources & links: - Dr. Jon Eckert’s book + free resources (discussion guides, free chapters): https://thehappinesscrisis.com- Dr. Jon Eckert’s website: https://jonathaneckert.org- Baylor Center for School Leadership: https://baylorcenterforschoolleadership.org Book Recommendations: - David Yeager’s - 10 to 25 - David Brooks’ - How to Know a Person* - Angela Duckworth’s - Situated🎒 Follow Reframe Parenting for use-now tools and strategies for school success. 🌐 www.reframeparenting.com🎧 Visit www.reframeparenting.com/blog to dive into blog posts & podcast episodes to discover more school success strategies and get tools designed with you and your child in mind. Submit a Listener Question for a Future Episode 💖Instagram: instagram.com/@reframeparenting🖇️Threads: threads.com/@reframeparenting Write a review for the Unlocking School Success podcast & share a screenshot with me at scotti@reframeparenting.com for a chance to win a free month in the School Success Library! 📝