We talk with author and educator Jessica Lahey about her new book, The Addiction Inoculation. Part parenting manual, part memoir, her book chronicles her own struggles with addiction and how she has approached protecting her own children from their most dangerous inheritance, substance use disorder. She joins us to discuss strategies and practical tools to understand, support, and educate resilient, addiction-resistant children.
Air date: Monday, April 29, 2021
GUEST: Jessica Lahey writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for TheAtlantic, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. She is the author of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. She lives in Vermont with her husband and two sons. She is also co-host of the #AmWriting podcast.
- According to the Partnership to End Addiction, having dinner together as a family is one of the most important things parents do to protect kids from all kinds of high-risk behaviors, including substance use. Jessica Lahey talks about her unusual approach in this article, How Our Family Finds the Space to Talk.
- In this New York Times article, Jessica Lahey explains why a strong sense of self-efficacy is one of the most powerful protective factors parents can give their children.
The DHHS Statewide Addiction Crisis Line provides assistance on topics related to substance abuse at 1-844-11-4357.The New Hampshire State’s alcohol and drug helpline has professional counselors that take the call of individuals with substance abuse problems, and can be reached by calling 2-1-1.
Many Alcoholics Anonymous groups offer virtual meetings. For more informal peer support, there are apps such as Loosid.
The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration runs a 24/7 helpline (800-662-HELP), and website, www.findtreatment.gov, offering referrals for addiction treatment.
Recommended Books from Jessica Lahey
Your Turn: How to Be An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haimes
UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me-World by Michelle Borba
Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine by Michelle Borba
Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Devorah Heitner
Recovering My Kid: Parenting Young Adults in Treatment and Beyond by Dr. Joseph Lee
High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction by David and Nick Sheff
- The Self-Driven Child: The Science And Sense Of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives By William Stixrud, PhD, and Ned Johnson
