Are we holding back our kids by never letting them fail?
Our guest today argues that kids need to have the freedom to fall short, to try things that don't quite work, as they're being educated, so that they can develop the skills to succeed later on in life. Failure isn't just an occasional fly in the ointment of a good education, she argues, you need to fail. It's baked into the way that schools work and prepare kids for real life.
Jessica Lahey is a parent, a teacher, author, and VPR commentator. Her new book is "The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed."
Also on the program, exploring Vermont's food history with Gail Rosenberg and Elise Guyette of the Burlington Edible History Tour.
Broadcast live on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.