“Are we sending our lambs to the slaughter?” asks CEO of Beit T’Shuvah Rabbi Mark Borovitz. Parenting is one of the most important aspects identified by the residential treatment center and spiritual community of Beit T’Shuvah as impacting a child’s identity and ability to be self sufficient. “Too often we work with young addicts who’ve experienced parenting patterns that include an excess of external praise and saving from mistakes,” says Borovitz.

Beit T’Shuvah is hosting a discussion with William Deresiewicz, Author of “Excellent Sheep,” to highlight issues identified in his book as the beginning of a high pressure system that is failing our children. The former professor and member of Yale’s admission committee will speak about how the demand for perfect grades has culminated in skewed applications, and how raising children without an internal sense of validation negatively impacts their university experience. Deresiewicz’s presentation and book signing is part of a series of educational initiatives offered by Beit T’Shuvah that focuses on the pitfalls privileged families run into while raising children.

Founder of Beit T’Shuvah, Harriet Rossetto, believes parents who expect perfection often fix their children’s problems to achieve that, resulting in unprepared young adults. “This parenting style doesn’t allow for the child to learn from their own mistakes and leads to not only a failure to launch but sadly often to self demoralization, addiction and abuse,” explains Rossetto.