About the book

We have learned the perils of intensive parenting, but how do we shift gears to supporting our children’s independence and confidence? How can we do less so they do more?

This book translates the science of autonomy-supportive parenting, well-supported in psychological research for the last 30 years, to real-life strategies in our homes and families. This approach not only benefits our children, but us too! Parents who use autonomy-supportive parenting are less stressed, their kids have greater overall well-being and success in adulthood, and the parent-child relationships are close and connected. It’s a win-win for healthier children and parents, and a path forward to achieve a more sustainable family life. 

What is autonomy-supportive parenting? Autonomy means behaving in alignment with values, and discovering our authentic self. What more could we want for our children? The heart of autonomy-supportive parenting is using a set of science-based strategies (e.g., empathy, perspective-taking, offering choices, involving kids in decision-making) to nurture three fundamental human needs: relatedness, competence, and autonomy. I make sense of the science in real-life parenting dilemmas across key areas of family life, such as social skills, digital citizenship, emotional well-being, and managing money, to name just a few.

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