Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want To Be

Potty-training battles, eating habits, separation anxiety, and sibling rivalry are common parenting woes explored by Kennedy, a clinical psychologist with a private practice dedicated to resolving parenting challenges. Rather than time-outs, sticker charts, or any type of punishment or reward, Kennedy encourages readers to dig in to the child’s internal world and view their behavior as a cue for help or need, not an identity. She advocates for a connection—rather than consequence—model of parenting that’s centered around viewing a child as “good inside,” an idea that may seem, on the surface, to be obvious, yet may not translate into practice for many parents. Kennedy also includes scripts to spark conversation between parent and child on a variety of topics. She explores such issues as looking behind a child’s meltdown, combating whining (a little humor goes a long way), and preparing a child to cope with separation or another anxiety they may face. Consent is a critical issue explored in this book.