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Artwork for The Self-Driven Child

The Self-Driven Child

Ned Johnson
Mental Health
Parenting
Education
Teen Mental Health
Motivation
Anxiety
Stress Management
Intrinsic Motivation
College Admissions
Sleep Deprivation
Emotional Resilience
College Readiness
Parental Support
Self-Driven Child
Resilience
Adolescence
Christmas
Child Development
Education Reform
Connection

Helping parents raise kids with healthy motivation and resilience in facing life's challenges. Oh, and having more fun while doing it!

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes75Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ParentingEducationKids & FamilySelf-Improvement

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Artwork for The Self-Driven Child

Latest Episodes

What if one of the most important things we can do to raise confident, resilient, and motivated kids is simply to let them play? And I don't mean organized sports, adult-supervised activities, or structured playdates. I'm talking about good old-fashi... more

Maybe it wasn’t all about the cell phones after all.

In this episode, I’m joined by eminent psychologist, researcher, and author Dr. Peter Gray to explore what may really be driving the decline in children’s mental health. While smartphones and soci... more

All of us worry about the potentially negative impacts of technology. We worry our kids are online too much, that social media is disrupting their sleep, academics, mental health, and relationships—and frankly, taking away good time outdoors. And it ... more

What do teens really need to grow into confident, capable adults? In this episode, I sit down with two remarkable young advocates—Rona Majumder and Faris Smith—to explore why today's teens are asking for more autonomy, more trust, and more places whe... more

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Recent Guests

William Stixrud
Neuropsychologist and co-author of The Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say?
Episode: Let’s Play! An interview with Dr. William Stixrud on the neuroscience of play, the critical ingredient for a child’s resilience and motivation
Peter Gray
eminent psychologist, researcher, and author
Boston College (as described in interview)
Episode: Why Children Need More Freedom to Thrive with Dr. Peter Gray
Juliette Blake
teen tech founder and mom, founder of Moxies
Moxies
Episode: An interview with Juliette Blake: the teen tech founder who became a mom and built a safer social media platform for girls
Rona Majumder
A junior in high school promoting teen autonomy and third spaces
Independent youth advocate
Episode: Teens Talk: Teen Takeovers and Third Spaces
Faris Smith
Rising freshman at Rutgers University, sociology major, equity work with teens of color
Student advocate / youth equity
Episode: Teens Talk: Teen Takeovers and Third Spaces
Ethan Chan
Student journalist at Palo Alto High School, Campanile
Palo Alto High School, The Campanile
Episode: Grade A+ Deception: student journalists on the academic pressure to cheat
Meryem Orazova
Student journalist at Palo Alto High School, Campanile
Palo Alto High School, The Campanile
Episode: Grade A+ Deception: student journalists on the academic pressure to cheat
David Yeager
Eminent professor of psychology and author of 10 to 25, The Science of Motivating Young People
University of Texas at Austin (implied by discussion)
Episode: Tapping into what really motivates teens: an interview with bestselling author and psychologist Dr. David Yeager
Stephanie Malia Krauss
Author and educator discussing How We Thrive and related works
Author of How We Thrive; Made appearances on the show
Episode: Simply weathering the storm of modern life? Help your kids survive and THRIVE!

Host

Ned Johnson
Host of The Self-Driven Child Podcast, focused on helping families raise kids with healthy motivation and resilience.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Let’s Play! An interview with Dr. William Stixrud on the neuroscience of play, the critical ingredient for a child’s resilience and motivation
Q: How does play help kids develop autonomy, stress tolerance, resilience, and motivation? What does play do for kids that academic instruction cannot?
Johnson and Stixrud explain that self-directed play gives children practice making decisions, managing emotions, negotiating with peers, solving problems, and taking manageable risks. These experiences build executive functions, confidence, and a sense that they can handle difficult situations.
Let’s Play! An interview with Dr. William Stixrud on the neuroscience of play, the critical ingredient for a child’s resilience and motivation
Q: When we deprive children of play, we're not only kind of wrecking their childhood, but we may also kind of be wrecking their adulthood. Is that a fair way to think about that?
Stixrud agrees that play is fundamental to how young mammals learn and how human brains develop. He connects a historical decline in play with worsening mental health and a reduced sense of control.
An interview with Juliette Blake: the teen tech founder who became a mom and built a safer social media platform for girls
Q: What are some of the things you think about in the design of the gamification for Moxies, and what should parents know to help their kids get the best out of games?
She describes avoiding dark-pattern design, limiting rewards and notifications, and using a well-being benchmark (80%) to gate features, while teaching digital literacy and self-regulation.
An interview with Juliette Blake: the teen tech founder who became a mom and built a safer social media platform for girls
Q: So I'd like to hear the Marvel origin story of how you got into the world of tech for tweens.
Blake explains she started coding in high school to help her sister and her friends, launching her first company at 16, and how her early experiences shaped Moxies' safety-first design and focus on well-being.
When the World Feels Too Big: Talking With Our Kids About Hard Things
Q: You've been doing this work for a long time—what have you seen in the last 10 years compared to the first 10?
She notes the rapid impact of technology, social media, and especially AI on youths, and emphasizes the need for adapting parenting approaches as digital landscapes change faster than traditional systems can keep up with.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Self-Driven Child

What is The Self-Driven Child about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on parenting with a focus on fostering healthy motivation and resilience in children, often through research-backed frameworks and practical coaching for families. Episodes routinely feature experts in psychology, education, and parenting, along with authors and advocates who champion independence, belonging, and well-being for kids and teens. A notable pattern is translating academic ideas into actionable strategies for both parents and educators, with frequent guest contributions from researchers, clinicians, and thought leaders who discuss topics like motivation, sleep, adolescent development, and family dynamics. The program often ties insights to real-world routines and resources, including prep support, college readin... more

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How many episodes of The Self-Driven Child are there?

The Self-Driven Child launched 4 years ago and published 75 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Self-Driven Child?

Recent guests on The Self-Driven Child include:

1. William Stixrud
2. Peter Gray
3. Juliette Blake
4. Rona Majumder
5. Faris Smith
6. Ethan Chan
7. Meryem Orazova
8. David Yeager

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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