Author Jessica Lahey to Discuss: The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

Scarsdale community members are invited to attend an enlightening presentation by Jessica Lahey --- writer, teacher, and journalist for the New York Times and The Atlantic. Ms. Lahey will discuss her new book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. The event is co-sponsored by the Scarsdale PT Council, Scarsdale High School PTA, Scarsdale Middle School PTA, and Scarsdale Public Library. The event will take place on Thursday October 29th at 7:30 p.m. in the Scarsdale Middle School auditorium. Ms. Lahey will be on-hand to sign copies of her book, which will be available for purchase.

In the tradition of Paul Tough's How Children Succeed and Wendy Mogel's The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, Lahey's book focuses on the critical school years when parents must learn to allow their children to experience the disappointment and frustration that occurs from life's inevitable problems so that they can grow up to be successful, resilient, and self-reliant adults. Ms. Lahey also exposes how the pressure to achieve academically is, in her words, "a crime against learning.' For many students, the fear of failure takes a long-term toll on their curiosity and desire to learn.

Prior to Ms. Lahey's presentation, the Scarsdale PT Council will hold a brief business meeting. The Scarsdale High School and Middle School PTAs will conduct meetings before the event at 7:15 p.m. For more information, please contact Scarsdale PT Council Programming Chairs, Jennifer Rossano (jenrossano@verizon.net) or Amy Cooper (arcooper@optonline.net).

About Jessica Lahey
Jessica Lahey is an educator, writer and speaker. She writes the bi-weekly column "The Parent-Teacher Conference" for the New York Times, is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, and a commentator on Vermont Public Radio. Her new book is The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. For more information, visit www.jessicalahey.com

The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed
Thursday, October 29th, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Scarsdale Middle School Auditorium