From at least Emerson’s time, Americans have taken self-reliance as a national birthright. Yet as Zaske learned from raising two children in Berlin, the Germans may have a better idea than we do how to bring up kids with optimum “selbstandigkeit.” While American parents are often over-protective, Zaske found Germans more relaxed. Their hands-off approach includes letting their young children walk to school unsupervised, take the subway alone, and use sharp knives to cut their food. German parents worry less than their American counterparts and as a result, Zaske, argues, raise more confident and productive children, a conclusion supported by the data and research results she cites. This event is part of the P&P Parenting series.