In this episode of Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam interviews Alison Gopnik, a psychology and philosophy professor, about her book "The Gardener and the Carpenter," which explores two contrasting approaches to parenting. Gopnik argues against the "carpenter" model, where parents attempt to mold their children into specific outcomes, and advocates for the "gardener" model, which emphasizes creating a nurturing environment for children to explore and develop naturally. The conversation delves into the relatively recent emergence of the term "parenting," the anxieties associated with modern parenting, and the importance of play and exploration in child development. They also discuss the tension between fostering well-adjusted children and pushing them towards specific achievements in a competitive world, ultimately suggesting that a more flexible and exploratory approach benefits both individuals and society.
