The Awakened Family

Starred review from April 18, 2016
“Parent, heal thyself” is the bold challenge in Tsabary’s sequel to her bestselling The Conscious Parent. Tsabary teaches that even the most well-intentioned parental aspirations and expectations can stifle the development and expression of children’s authentic selves. She posits that ongoing difficult behavior in children often comes from parents’ immature reactions rooted in unresolved hurts, fears, and patterns from their own childhoods. Her solution takes aim at anxiety-producing cultural myths about parenting, replacing the need for control with mindful presence and self-understanding. Tsabary’s calm, explanatory approach acknowledges that parents can have a hard time regulating their behavior when provoked. She has the rare ability to inspire parental reflectiveness about adult responsibilities without making the reader feel blamed, belittled, or overwhelmed. Realistic examples of everyday interactions demonstrate how family relationships can be moved to a place of partnership, empathy, and growth. Readers of Tsabary’s first book will find this follow-up useful and encouraging, and those starting here will find everything they need without having to refer back. Tsabary’s message is an antidote to recent trends such as for “helicopter parenting,” teaching respect for children as people in their own right and urging parents to let them thrive. Agent: Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, William Morris Endeavor.