Parenting expert and Dopamine Kids author thinks your children need more fire and knives
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Parenting expert Michaeleen Doucleff cooking pancakes with her daughter, Rosy, at home.
PHOTO: SARAH M. VASQUEZ/NYTIMES
Emi Nietfeld
- Michaeleen Doucleff’s parenting approach draws on ancient cultures, encouraging family-focused life, child autonomy, and practical skills like using fire and knives for empowerment.
- Her new book, Dopamine Kids, warns against screens and ultra-processed foods, promoting authentic pleasure through healthier habits and home sanctuaries limiting device use.
- Doucleff’s family moved to rural Texas for community values and independence, balancing traditional practices without strict gender roles, while advocating parental agency amid limited government support.
AI generated
NEW YORK – When Michaeleen Doucleff walked into my apartment, my almost-two-year-old was sitting pants-less on the counter, screaming, while I untangled her hair.
“Just leave it,” Doucleff advised, before breaking into her expansive laugh. “I left Rosy’s hair knotted for, like, five years.”
