The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans

Developmental psychologist Pressman (cofounding director, Mt. Sinai Parenting Ctr.; host of the podcast Raising Good Humans) believes, as many experts do, that there’s no one right way to parent. To help readers find their own best practices, she offers five principles—relationship, reflection, regulation, rules, and repair—that can be applied to one’s own values and to one’s children’s individual personalities and temperaments. She urges parents to first work through their own dysregulation before turning their attention to their children. She gives parents permission to be B.A.D., which is her acronym for breathe, assess, and deal. Walking the talk is the objective, and Pressman assures parents they are doing an outstanding job. Yet, like a good coach, she gently pushes readers toward further growth. For instance, she encourages meditation, breathing, and reflection exercises, but she tells readers to focus on what works best for them. Her book also explores sexuality, emotional health, gun violence, racism, and much more. Each chapter features a Q&A section and applicable exercises.