Raising Can-Do Kids by Richard Rende & Jen Prosek Summary
Overview of Raising Can-Do Kids
In "Raising Can-Do Kids," renowned child development expert Richard Rende reveals how to nurture resilience in today's fast-changing world. Endorsed by Dr. Wendy Mogel and featured in Parents Magazine, this guide sparked a parenting revolution. What childhood trait best predicts adult success?
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Key takeaways
What Your Kids Really Need to Thrive in Tomorrow's World
What if everything we're doing to prepare our children for success is missing the mark? While we obsess over test scores and college admissions, the job market our children will enter doesn't even exist yet. Half of today's occupations may vanish within a decade, replaced by roles we can't imagine. This realization drove developmental psychologist Richard Rende and entrepreneur Jen Lask to ask a more fundamental question: What capabilities will help children not just survive but flourish in radical uncertainty? Their answer challenges conventional parenting wisdom. Success won't come from cramming more academics into childhood or building the perfect resume. Instead, it emerges from seven interconnected skills that transform children into adaptable, resilient creators of their own opportunities-skills that span how we think, who we are, and how we connect with others. Think about the most successful people you know. They probably aren't just smart-they're curious explorers who spot opportunities others miss, persist through setbacks with optimism, work diligently toward goals, and genuinely connect with people. These patterns aren't accidents. Through extensive research and interviews with successful entrepreneurs, a clear picture emerged: thriving adults possess two cognitive skills (exploration and innovation), three personal qualities (optimism, opportunity-seeking, and industriousness), and two social abilities (likeability and serving others). What makes this framework revolutionary is its holistic nature. Academic brilliance means little without the optimism to persevere through inevitable failures. Creative thinking goes nowhere without the industriousness to execute ideas. Social skills without genuine service orientation create shallow networkers rather than trusted collaborators. These seven skills work together like instruments in an orchestra-each valuable alone but transformative in concert. The World Economic Forum consistently identifies these as essential twenty-first-century competencies, yet our education system rarely teaches them directly.
Nurturing Exploration and Innovation in a Credential-Obsessed World
Building Optimism and the Opportunity-Seeking Mindset
Developing True Industriousness Beyond Participation Trophies
Mastering Social Skills: Collaboration, Conflict Resolution, and Conversation
Integrating the Seven Skills Into Daily Life
Your Child's Real Competitive Edge
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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