Chasing Childhood explores how free play and independence have all but disappeared from kids’ lives— while stress, anxiety, and depression have skyrocketed. When kids don’t play unsupervised by adults, they don’t gain critical life skills like grit, independence, and resourcefulness. Though they may appear more accomplished on paper, youth are often lacking the independence and emotional tools to navigate young adulthood by the time they get to college. This timely documentary takes us to three communities that are trying to shift the culture to create room for play and independence with the hope of raising kids to become competent, healthy, and happy adults. Some potential solutions are also offered by the leaders of this movement including former Stanford Dean and author of How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims and biological psychologist Peter Gray, who help us examine how we got to this place and how we might empower our kids going forward. Directors Margaret Munzer Loeb & Eden Wurmfeld (US 2021) 90 min

The screening will be followed by an in-depth, pre-recorded panel discussion with special guests:

• Vicki Abeles – Impact Producer, Chasing Childhood; Director, Beyond Measure, Race to Nowhere
• Madeline Levine, PhD – Psychologist; Co-founder, Challenge Success; author, Ready or Not: Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World, The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids, Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success
• Margot Johnson – Student, Redwood High School
• Eric Saibel – Director of Student Services, Ross Valley School District; Co-founder, Global School Play Day
• Moderator – Joanne Parsont, CFI Director of Education