Myth of the Spoiled Child

The Myth of the Spoiled Child is an annoying book. It is also dangerous. It is annoying because the author, Alfie Kohn, refutes nearly every commonly held belief about children and parenting and backs up his arguments with empirical evidence. He also uncovers how the evidence used to support the common wisdom is often bogus. He topples widely-held myths about coddled kids, narcissistic youths, helicopter parents, grit, self-discipline, and more. What makes the book dangerous is that Kohn’s evidence exposes and undermines the underlying ideology used to socially and politically justify how we raise and educate our children. He sheds light on how we have created a society that is in reality hostile to childhood. Be warned, reading this book may be hazardous to your assumptions about children and parenting. Of course, that is the reason it is important to read the book.