Dr. Anjhula Mya Singh Bais talks to clinical psychologist, Dr. Alex Russell, to explore how parents and caregivers can support their children to be in the driving seat of their own development, become resilient and ‘find their flow’. By exploring the tensions between a young person and the external expectations, pressures and experiences that contribute to their education and development, they share ideas to support parents in helping their children become strong, resourceful, and emotionally healthy. Dr. Russell is a clinical psychologist who lives and works in Toronto, Canada. He provides assessments and psychotherapy to children and adults, in addition to consulting with schools, teachers, and psychologists. The heart of his message is that children mature healthily through the experience of difficult but non-disastrous failure.  Parents need to see failing—whether it’s a test, a course, or a tryout for a team—as a normal part of growing up, and not a sign of parental incompetence or a signal to push more pressure onto their child. In his book, Drop the Worry Ball: How to Parent in the Age of Entitlement (co-authored by journalist Tim Falconer), and on stage, he offers a fresh perspective on raising children that is reassuring, balanced, and strikingly sensible. As an education speaker, Dr. Russell has addressed many parent and counselor groups over the years. He is intimately familiar with the relationships that parents, teachers, and counselors share with the children we are raising. He has been an active parent in his community and an avid hockey player and coach. To continue the conversation, click here to join the Parenting Community.