By Paula Fass
The End of American Childhood takes a sweeping look at the history of American childhood and parenting, from the nation’s founding to the present day. Renowned historian Paula Fass shows how, since the beginning of the American republic, independence, self-definition, and individual success have informed Americans’ attitudes toward children. But as parents today hover over every detail of their children’s lives, are the qualities that once made American childhood special still desired or possible? Placing the experiences of children and parents against the backdrop of social, political, and cultural shifts, Fass challenges Americans to reconnect with the beliefs that set the American understanding of childhood apart from the rest of the world.
Groundbreaking books by Let Grow’s thought leaders and others are changing the way America thinks about, educates and raises its kids. They all make the case that today’s kids are safer, smarter and stronger than the culture gives them credit for — and that more independence is crucial, not crazy.