This week, Kaity and Adriane chatted with Ned Johnson, co-author of "The Self-Driven Child" and "What Do You Say?" about healthy brain development. Episode 42  explores: 🔥 the impact of school start times on brain development 🔥 fostering genuine connections that inspire our youth to thrive in and out of the classroom 🔥 the need for an ideal learning environment 🔥 technology's double-edged sword in modern childhood 🔥 the power of intrinsic motivation 🔥 how happiness and engagement are crucial for effective learning 🔥 and so much more! Tune in for a conversation that will equip you with the strategies you need to nurture a generation capable of facing anything with a self-driven spirit. 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST 👤 Ned Johnson is the founder of PrepMatters, an educational company that helps students find success in high school and get into and through college.  A professional “tutor geek" since 1993, Ned has spent more than 50,000 one-on-one hours helping students conquer an alphabet of standardized tests, learn to manage their anxiety and develop their motivation to succeed.   With Dr. William Stixrud, Ned co-authored The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives and What Do You Say?  How To Talk With Kids To Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. He is the host of The Self-Driven Child podcast, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, BBC, and many others. Resources mentioned: Katey McPhersonLisa Lewis - The Sleep Deprived TeenPeter GrayLenore SkenazyLearned Helplessness at Fifty: Insights from NeuroscienceRest Is Not Idleness: Implications of the Brain’s Default Mode for Human Development and Education.About the podcast: The KindlED Podcast explores the science of nurturing children's potential and creating empowering learning environments. Powered by Prenda, each episode offers actionable insights to help you ignite your child's love of learning today. We'll dive into evidence-based tools and techniques that kindle young learners' curiosity, motivation, and well-being. Got a burning question? We're all ears! If you have a question or topic you'd love our hosts to tackle, please send it to [email protected]. Let's dive into the conversation together! Important links: • Want more KindlED content? • Connect with us • Subscribe to The Sunday Spark Interested in starting a microschool? Prenda provides all the tools and support you need to start and run an amazing microschool. Create a free Prenda World account to start designing your future microschool today ➡️ Start My Microschool