Goldie Hawn Reflects on Today’s Kids and Her New Book

Goldie Hawn recently shared her thoughts on the differences between her childhood and today’s youth, noting a concerning lack of “grit” in children today. Speaking on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” the 80-year-old actress reminisced about a time when kids didn’t have tablets or smartphones. She described that freedom, where, well, kids just played and found ways to have fun without supervision.

“We knew we were in trouble, but we didn’t care,” she recalled. “We had no one watching us. It was just about living our best day, and that seems so different from what kids experience now.”

Her new book, “The After School Kindness Crew,” aims to encourage mindfulness, kindness, and joy among children. Hawn believes it fosters collaboration and problem-solving skills, which in turn builds grit and critical thinking.

In this book, characters learn to take “brain breaks” that teach them how to manage anxiety—a vital skill in today’s stressful world. Hawn is passionate about mental health education, having founded the MindUp initiative through her foundation in 2003, focusing on social and emotional growth through neuroscience and positive psychology.

Reflecting on her journey over the years, Hawn spoke in a recent interview about her motivation for MindUp. “I just wanted children to experience joy,” she stated. However, she quickly realized that many kids were facing grave mental health issues, which genuinely alarmed her. “When you see kids struggling so much, it makes you want to do something,” she added, noting the alarming rates of mental health crises among youngsters.

Hawn’s program caters to students from kindergarten to eighth grade, teaching them about brain functions and emotion regulation—insights that many, surprisingly, lack. She has previously voiced her concerns about “coddling” kids, insisting that they need to face challenges to grow tougher. “There’s value in struggle,” she mentioned, recalling moments with her daughter, Kate Hudson, when she limited her spending on clothes, believing it was a waste.

Hawn’s career took off with her role on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” which garnered her an Emmy Award, and she later won an Oscar for “Cactus Flower.” Since then, she’s starred in several classic films, although it’s been six years since her last movie role.

Reflecting on her hiatus, Hawn emphasized the importance of content and character in her potential future projects. “I want to be excited about a role,” she explained, while also acknowledging a lack of material that captivates her lately. “If someone could come up with something fresh and engaging, that would be fantastic,” she concluded.