Praise
"Controlling your kids with a long list of rules is a lot of work.
What would happen if you got rid of the rules? In The Sovereign Child,
Aaron Stupple, father of five, tells us all about his amazing
experiment in rule-free parenting. I doubt it will work for every
family, but Stupple's story is worth hearing and worth pondering."
Bryan Caplan, economist at George Mason University and author
of
Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids: Why Being a Great Parent is
Less Work and More Fun than You Think
"When we take children seriously, it just means we trust them to be as
human as we are: curious, eager to be included, ready to fix some
problems and cause some others. Seeing them like 'us' helps us
understand what they need, how they thrive, and why they don't need
constant attention, 'teaching,' or assistance. Both generations end up
more free. That sounds good to me!"
Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids
"The Sovereign Child offers a groundbreaking and liberating approach
to parenting—one rooted in understanding, freedom, and collaboration
rather than rigid rules. Drawing inspiration from the revolutionary
Taking Children Seriously movement, co-founded by Sarah Fitz-Claridge
and quantum physicist David Deutsch, this transformative book
challenges the conventional wisdom of enforcing rules on children.
Instead, it reveals how such practices can harm your bond with your
child, stifle their problem-solving abilities, and obscure the true
nature of knowledge. With engaging prose and insights grounded in the
philosophy of Karl Popper, The Sovereign Child makes a compelling case
for treating children as autonomous, capable individuals. Packed with
real-life examples and actionable advice, this book will empower you
to nurture confident, curious, and self-reliant children—ready to
thrive in a world of endless possibilities."
Dr Ray Scott Percival, author of
The Myth of the Closed Mind
"Children are human beings with unlimited creative potential. This
book is a roadmap for taking them seriously, unlocking that potential,
and building a world where all people are free."
Chris Turner, Founder of
Moonrise
Tim Ferriss and Naval Ravikant
Naval Ravikant and Aaron Stupple explore the "Sovereign Child
Approach" - treating children as equal knowledge creators
rather than imposing authoritative control.
Through Conversations Podcast with Alex Levy
Aaron Stupple challenges conventional parenting norms,
emphasizing agency, autonomy, and trust while letting children
learn through experience rather than strict rules.
Here for the Truth with Joel Rafidi
Aaron Stupple explores "Taking Children Seriously" philosophy,
sharing how treating kids as rational beings transforms family
dynamics through trust and collaboration.
Existential Hope Podcast with Allison Duettmann
Dr. Aaron Stupple explores treating children as full moral
agents from birth, applying rigorous epistemology from David
Deutsch and Karl Popper to parenting.
The Weatherboys Podcast
Aaron Stupple explains his controversial no-rules parenting
approach, advocating for persuasion over coercion and letting
kids make their own choices about food, sleep, and screens.
Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy
Aaron Stupple discusses problem-solving over control in
parenting, drawing on Carl Popper's ideas about knowledge
creation and embracing children as creative mini-humans.
Stephan Livera
Aaron discusses "The Sovereign Child" and his
libertarian-influenced parenting approach, emphasizing
understanding children's reasons rather than imposing
authoritarian discipline.
Infinite Loops with Jim O'Shaughnessy
Aaron Stupple and Logan Chipkin challenge modern parenting
foundations, arguing children have reasons and capacity for
decisions, exploring the "foul four" damaging effects of
non-consensual rules.
The Bitcoin Edge with Paula
Aaron Stupple, father of five and author, shares how Bitcoin
transformed his views on parenting, education, and freedom,
discussing low time preference and raising sovereign kids.
WTF For Cities Podcast
Aaron Stupple and Logan Chipkin explore how empowered children
can change urban futures through the Taking Children Seriously
approach and cities as learning machines.
The Joel Bein Show
Aaron and Joel explore coercion-free parenting principles and
practical applications, discussing how to influence children's
choices without disapproval or control.
Aaron Stupple is a practicing physician, former middle school and
high school science teacher, and co-founder of the nonprofit
Conjecture Institute. He has been promoting critical rationalism
and the work of Karl Popper and David Deutsch since 2018, most
prominently through Rat Fest, an annual in-person conference.
Aaron lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and five
children.
