The Myth of the Spoiled Child

Parents are accused of being both permissive and overprotective, unwilling to set limits and afraid to let their kids fail. Young people, meanwhile, are routinely described as entitled and narcissistic. Alfie Kohn systematically debunks these beliefs -- not only challenging erroneous factual More Description

Parents are accused of being both permissive and overprotective, unwilling to set limits and afraid to let their kids fail. Young people, meanwhile, are routinely described as entitled and narcissistic. Alfie Kohn systematically debunks these beliefs -- not only challenging erroneous factual claims but also exposing the troubling ideology that underlies them. Relying on new research and a vast collection of social science data, as well as on logic and humor, he challenges popular parenting myths and argues that, in fact, the major threat to healthy child development is parenting that is too controlling rather than too indulgent.