Wendy Mogel

Wendy Mogel surfaces in The Self-Driven Child as a reference point on resilience. Kyle’s note captures her idea that resilience is “learned by having a bad teacher” — i.e., that exposure to imperfect, frustrating circumstances (rather than a smoothed, optimized path) is part of how children build the capacity to cope. The mention reinforces the book’s central argument that protecting kids from all friction undercuts the autonomy and grit they need to develop.

Context: Wendy Mogel is a clinical psychologist and parenting author best known for The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, which argues that allowing children to face manageable hardship and disappointment builds resilience and self-reliance.

Where this appears

• The Self-Driven Child — cited for the idea that resilience is “learned by having a bad teacher,” reinforcing the book’s case against over-protecting kids from friction