The Palmetto Education Summit 2026

Every day we make choices that shape not only our own paths but also the options available to those around us—yet in our schools and homes, we've created environments where children rarely experience authentic choice, leading to unprecedented levels of anxiety, apathy, and failure to launch. In this interactive session, Let Grow's Executive Director will explore the critical difference between authentic choices (which build competence and internal locus of control) and manufactured choices (which can erode trust and fail to develop decision-making capacity). Participants will learn to recognize opportunities for shifting from micromanagement to authentic autonomy, discovering how childhood serves as the training ground for building "choice muscles" in young people while helping adults develop trust in children's capabilities.