Supporting Smart and Capable Children

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Keys Adair, author of Smart and Capable: Supporting Children’s Agency in a Complex World, for a thoughtful conversation about what it means to genuinely believe in children’s capabilities. We explore the tension between giving children meaningful agency and maintaining the boundaries, structure and guidance that come with adult responsibility. From parenting and education to student voice and independence, Jennifer challenges us to consider whether our everyday actions truly communicate to young people that their ideas, decisions and perspectives matter. Ultimately, this conversation explores an important question: How do we give children the space to discover what they are capable of while still providing the guidance they need?