You are a good parent.

You just need a manual to help you troubleshoot.

Order yours now.

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"A Compassionate, Evidence-Based Guide for Real Parenting! "

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"This is one of the most honest and compassionate books about parenthood I’ve read."

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The Parent Manual

✳︎ Order Now ✳︎ "A Compassionate, Evidence-Based Guide for Real Parenting! " ✳︎ "This is one of the most honest and compassionate books about parenthood I’ve read." ✳︎ The Parent Manual

The Parent Manual is not just another parenting guide.

It is a clear, practical toolkit for parents wrestling with raising kids in the 21st century.

Each chapter includes a cohesive, yet digestible, overview of the psychological theories and neuroscience that guide clinical practice. These explanations are paired with a variety of interventions that are geared toward empowering parents to make the best decisions they can for their unique children.

  • "As a seasoned pediatrician, I thought I was prepared for parenthood, but never anticipated how much becoming a parent would reconnect me with my own childhood experiences and unresolved traumas. As Dr. Weksner so thoughtfully explains, this is far more common than most of us realize. If you want to parent with greater awareness, intention, and compassion—for both yourself and your children—this book will prove invaluable. I only wish I had it on the day I became a parent."

    - Dr. Mark Salvatore: Founding Clinical Director, Pediatric Mind-Body Medicine Program MGB for Children; Assistant Professor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Pediatrics, Mass General Brigham for Children Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition; Pediatric Consultant, Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine & MGH Child Resiliency ProgramRecent Client

  • “Warm, practical, and refreshingly nonjudgmental, it offers thoughtful guidance on the everyday challenges that can leave even the most confident parents searching for answers. What truly sets this book apart is the author's voice, which feels like a conversation with a trusted guide who understands the complexities of real family life. Alongside that empathy are concrete, actionable strategies that parents can begin using immediately.”

    - Dr. Roberto Olivardia: Clinical Psychologist, Harvard Medical School; Author “The Adonis Complex”

  • “Today’s parents have no shortage of advice on how to raise our children. The challenge, is, of course, sorting fact from opinion, and applying those facts in a way that fits with our families’ particular values and needs. With The Parent Manual, Dr. Rebecca Weksner empowers parents to meet this challenge, offering accessible, science-backed kernels that we can easily make our own. With chapters dedicated to major themes like perfectionism or sleep and a hefty toolbox, The Parent Manual belongs on the shelf of every parent as a trusted companion."

    - Dr. Emily Sandoz, BCBA: Director, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Honors Program; Author “Living with Your Body and Other Things You Hate”, “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Eating Disorders”, “The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Bulimia”

  • "The Parent Manual and its' Toolkit stand out for validating the messy, challenging reality of raising children rather than promising a tidy formula for doing it “right”; Dr. Weksner acknowledges the inherent tension parents feel between striving for perfection and the actual day-to-day work of simply showing up. Better yet, she also names the myth so many parents quietly believe: that perfect parenting produces perfect children, even though we all know, deep down, that kids are complicated and growth rarely moves in a straight line. It builds a compelling case that self-compassion isn’t indulgent, but rather it’s foundational to raising resilient kids. What elevates this book beyond typical parenting advice is its grounding in developmental psychology and clinical experience. The strategies are rooted in established theories of human and cognitive development, giving parents a genuine framework for understanding their children’s behavior. Each chapter pairs with the toolkit that includes concrete, clearly explained strategies parents can implement, while remaining tailored to different developmental stages. Even with this depth, the writing remains accessible and warm and is the kind of book you can put into practice. Overall, this is a rare parenting book that manages to be both scientifically grounded and deeply humane with a practical guide to continually improve our families."

    - Melissa Pearrow, PhD: Professor, School Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston

  • "As a fellow clinician, I was struck by how accessible Dr. Weksner makes sophisticated psychological concepts without talking down to parents. The Parent Manual doesn't promise perfection or another trendy parenting philosophy—it gives parents something far more valuable: the confidence to trust themselves while better understanding their children. This is a compassionate, deeply practical guide that belongs on every parent's bookshelf."

    - Rebecca Minor, LICSW: Author “Raising Trans Kids”

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Kids don’t come with a manual…

But what if you had one?

From the Introduction:

Trying to get it right is exhausting. You will make mistakes, get things wrong, and be stuck in your head. You will cave on limits, be inconsistent, and indulge from time to time. Each of those provides an opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow. Not to achieve some imaginary perfect standard, but to feel more like yourself in connection with your kids as you parent your way. Because the only expert on how to parent your kids is you.

Somehow, we have been tricked into believing that if only you follow what one person or another’s copyrighted approach to parenting is, then you will have a happy life with a happy family. Except, when that doesn’t work, you are left feeling even more discouraged and full of guilt and self-blame.

Parenting is hard. It remains hard throughout. Even with a doctorate in clinical psychology and multiple advanced degrees in child development related areas, I struggle to know the right way to handle things with my own kids at times. That is because parenting isn’t therapy, or teaching, or coaching. It is a unique, and sacred relationship in which the emotional bond between parent and child gives incredible insight into each other, and yet totally blinds you at the same time.  This is why when you are looking at your 15 year old, your mind pokes you with flashes of them at 10, 5, and 1, which makes it hard to hold the line the way you’ve been told you are supposed to; except your mom was a bit of a hard-ass and you always hated that about her, so how could you be the same to your kid, but you also don’t want to be a pushover. Sigh. Being told you are a bad parent because you have this very normal experience doesn’t help anything. Because you are not a bad parent. You are still learning, and learning is not linear. You will make mistakes, get things wrong, and be stuck in your head. You will cave on limits, be inconsistent, and indulge from time to time. Each of those provides an opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow. Not to achieve some imaginary perfect standard, but to feel more like yourself in connection with your kids, as you parent your way.

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