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=                        Julie_Lythcott-Haims                        =
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                            Introduction
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Julie Lythcott-Haims is an American educator, author, and politician.
She has written three non-fiction books: 'How to Raise an Adult', on
parenting; 'Real American,' a memoir; and 'Your Turn: How to Be an
Adult'. She served as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at
Stanford University. She is a member of the Palo Alto city council.


                             Early life
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Lythcott-Haims was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1967 and moved with her
parents to the United States in 1969. Her father, George Ignatius
Lythcott, was a pediatrician, a professor at Columbia University, the
Edward Jenner Professor of Public Health at UW Madison and served as
Assistant Surgeon General under President Jimmy Carter. Her mother,
Jean Snookes, is a retired teacher and professor of education at
Columbia University Teachers College.

Lythcott-Haims grew up in small towns in New York, Wisconsin, and
Virginia.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University. She also
earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, and a Master of
Fine Arts in writing from California College of the Arts.


University administrator
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Lythcott-Haims is the former dean of freshmen and undergraduate
advising, and former associate vice provost for undergraduate
education at Stanford University. While at Stanford, she was the 2010
winner of the Dinkelspiel Award for contributions to undergraduate
education. She held various positions with the university for 14 years
until leaving in 2012. At the time, the stated reason for leaving
Stanford was her plan to pursue an MFA degree. However, in 2024,
Lythcott-Haims confirmed she resigned her position at Stanford in 2012
after an "inappropriate" relationship with a student which became
public after the former student wrote about it on 'Autostraddle'.
According to the former student, Lythcott-Haims left Stanford shortly
after the former student's mother anonymously complained to the
university. Along with confirming the inappropriate relationship,
Lythcott-Haims apologized to the former student, Stanford staff and
students, and her own family.

While the "inappropriate" relationship was not forbidden at the time,
it was "discouraged", and in 2013 policies were changed to forbid such
relationships.


Author
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Lythcott-Haims' 2015 book, 'How to Raise an Adult', was a 'New York
Times' best-seller on the education list. The book cautions parents
against micromanaging, or helicopter parenting their children. It
argues that this parenting style prevents them from developing
independence and resilience as adults and can negatively impact their
mental health. A review in the 'Chicago Tribune' said: "Her deep
compassion for the young people enduring the endemic stress of [the
college admissions] process shines through and her advice about
broadening the mindset of applicants -- and parents -- is solid. But
this is the weakest part of a strong book, with the author at times
relying more on opinion than fact when it comes to the specifics of
college admission, such as testing. Lythcott-Haims' advice is most
valuable when it gets down to the brass tacks of how to cultivate a
parenting style that produces a resilient, resourceful grownup."

Her 2017 memoir, 'Real American', describes coming to terms with her
racial identity. Her father was a prominent African American
physician, her mother white and British, and she was the only
non-white student in her high school graduating class. 'The New York
Times' review said: “Her feelings metamorphose into palpable anger and
resentment as she reaches adulthood, and she finally begins to grasp
the perversity of a system that tries to undermine Black Americans
from the moment they arrive in the world.” The reviewer said 'Real
American' takes the reader on a journey from the author's initial
feelings of self-loathing because of her racial makeup to a sense of
self-worth. “By allowing us to witness a woman coming to terms with
herself, and finding nothing but pride and love there, she offers a
blueprint for how others might try to do the same.” 'Real American'
won the 2018 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award.

Lythcott-Haims' 2021 book, 'Your Turn: How to Be an Adult', presents
her insights and strategies on living a successful adult life for
young people entering adulthood. It discusses adult relationships,
maintaining physical and mental health, managing money, and other
adult responsibilities.


Politics
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In 2008, Lythcott-Haims was chosen as a Barack Obama delegate to the
Democratic National Convention from California's 14th congressional
district.

In November 2022, Lythcott-Haims was elected to the Palo Alto city
council.

In 2023, Lythcott-Haims announced her candidacy for California's 16th
congressional district in the 2024 United States House of
Representatives elections. In the nonpartisan primary on March 5,
2024, she finished in eighth place, thereby failing to reach the
general election.


                           Personal life
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Lythcott-Haims has two adult children and is married to Dan
Lythcott-Haims. She lives in Palo Alto, California.


License
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Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Lythcott-Haims