Let Them Grow: Why Kids Need Independence - Lenore Skenazy

What happens when we stop hovering and start trusting our kids a little more?

In this episode of the Mindful Mama Podcast, Hunter talks with Lenore Skenazy — president of Let Grow and author of Free-Range Kids — about why childhood independence is becoming one of the most important parenting conversations of our time.
After a media firestorm erupted when she allowed her 9-year-old son to ride the subway alone, Lenore became a leading voice advocating for kids’ freedom, resilience, and confidence. Together, Hunter and Lenore unpack the cultural fear driving overprotective parenting, the rise in childhood anxiety, and the growing movement to normalize age-appropriate independence again.
They explore how programs like The Let Grow Experience help families break the worry cycle, why “reasonable childhood independence” laws are spreading across the country, and how small acts of freedom can transform both kids and parents.
This conversation is hopeful, practical, and deeply empowering for any parent wondering how to raise capable, confident kids in a fear-filled culture.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn
    •    Why childhood independence is directly connected to confidence and mental health
    •    How overprotection can unintentionally increase anxiety in children
    •    What “reasonable childhood independence” laws actually protect
    •    Why today’s world is statistically safer than many parents think
    •    How the Let Grow movement helps families break the fear cycle
    •    Age-appropriate ways to start building independence
    •    Why small risks are essential for resilience and growth
    •    How parents themselves often change through the process of letting go

Listen...