“Parents of all ages, especially new ones, should find Moore’s easygoing wisdom invaluable. A wonderfully insightful, back-to-basics approach to parenting."

—Kirkus Reviews

"Being the Grownup will help anyone who works with children see the parental role with new clarity….” —Perri Klass, New York Times columnist, The Check Up; Professor of Journalism and Pediatrics at New York University.

“Well-researched and thought-provoking, Being the Grownup puts forth the radical notion that both parents and children grow stronger with communication, clearly-articulated boundaries, and respect.”—Kim Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of Small Animals: Parenting in the Age of Fear.

“This book will help you … understand how much wisdom and authority you have in deciding how and when your child encounters the wider world.” —Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids and founder of Let Grow.

"Drawing deeply from the well of her experience as mother, grandmother, and psychotherapist, she has written a very wise book." —Carol Gilligan, professor of Humanities and Applied Psychology, New York University and the author of In a Different Voice.

Parents can forget that they are in charge. Their job is not to be friends with their children but to care for them. The most difficult part of being a parent is not mastering parenting techniques but adhering to them when their children push back. A groundbreaking exploration of the parent- child relationship, the book demonstrates when to be in charge, and how to strike the balance between parental responsibility and a child’s growing independence. Children need adults to survive. Despite the profound changes the digital era has wrought on family life, this remains the essence of parenthood. Being the Grownup helps parents translate their determination to care and protect into a voice that communicates authority in all matters of daily life. Confident expressions of both love and limits allow parents to be the grownups their children require.

 

About the Author

Adelia Moore is a clinical psychologist in NYC specializing in therapy with couples, parents, families, and young adults. Moore received her BA in English from Harvard, a MS in Child Development from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati. Moore’s essays have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor and Huffington Post. She has four sons and five grandchildren, and lives in Manhattan and Upstate New York with her husband. She is on FB, Twitter, Instagram, and adeliamoore.com.