Why Your Child’s Anxiety Might Be Coming From You | Sissy Goff, MEd, LPC-MHSP & David Thomas, LMSW

In this powerful episode of Culture Apothecary, child psychologists Sissy Goff and David Thomas sound the alarm about a generational shift in child development: kids today are more anxious, less capable, and increasingly unwilling to face age-appropriate challenges like riding bikes, attending school, or getting driver's licenses. Despite being more supported than ever, they’re also less resilient. The duo attributes this to a cultural overcorrection—parents, often well-intentioned but overwhelmed by information and technology, are overprotecting their children, rescuing them from discomfort, and relying on AI and apps instead of trusting their own intuition. They argue that true strength comes not from making kids happy, but from helping them build competence through practiced struggle. The hosts emphasize that resilience is developed through small, consistent challenges—like ordering food at a restaurant, hosting sleepovers, or failing at a sport—where kids learn that nervousness is normal and growth happens in discomfort. Their new book, *Capable*, offers practical tools for parents to foster courage, competence, and confidence in their children by balancing empathy with appropriate challenge. The episode ends with a hopeful message: it’s never too late to start building capability, and every parent is the expert on their own child.