The 5 Principles of Parenting - by Aliza Pressman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Let go of perfect and become a transformative, positive influence in a child's life while creating your own definition of success with this "wisdom-packed guide" (Orpah Daily) from developmental psychologist and podcaster Dr. Aliza Pressman.

"My go-to for how we all raise good humans, including ourselves!" --Drew Barrymore

In the age of high-pressure parenting, when so many of us feel like we've got to get everything exactly right the first time, Dr. Aliza Pressman is the compassionate, reassuring expert we all need--and the one whose advice we can all use. Already beloved by listeners of the hit podcast, Raising Good Humans, Dr. Pressman distills it all with a handful of strategies every parent can use to get things right often enough: Relationship, Reflection, Regulation, Rules, and Repair.

The 5 Principles of Parenting doesn't presume to tell you how to parent with "my way is right" advice because the science is clear: There's no one "right" way to raise good humans. No matter how you were raised, how your coparent behaves, or how your kids have been parented up until now, The 5 Principles of Parenting offers "accessible advice, reflective tools, and everyday parenting strategies" (Daniel Siegel, MD, New Your Times bestselling author) to chart a manageable course for raising good humans that's aligned with your own values and with your own children's unique temperaments.

Whether you're in the trenches with a toddler or a tween (because spoiler alert: the tantrums of childhood mirror the tantrums of adolescence), it's never too late to learn to use these 5 principles to reparent yourself and help your kids build the resilience they need to thrive. Through practice and normalizing imperfection, along the way you'll discover the person you're ultimately raising is yourself. By becoming more intentional people, we become better parents. By becoming better parents, we become better people. Let's get started.

Review Quotes

"Pressman has plenty of suggestions for making the experience of parenting more satisfying and enriching for both parents and kids -- and for raising confident, independent children who know you have their back." --Katie Couric Media

"[5 Principles] lays out a clear, strong argument for co-regulation [with] tips and tricks abound for how a parent can self-regulate." --New Yorker


"The 5 Principles of Parenting is a must-have for every parent. In a time where there is a lot of noise and advice about parenting and child development, Dr. Aliza Pressman is a rare find. She is at once a credible expert, practical, accessible, and beloved. Respected by colleagues and parents alike, her work is impactful and powerful, influencing how this generation of parents thinks about and cultivates their children's development. I love this book!" --Tina Payne Bryson, LCSW, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling co-author of The Whole-Brain Child & No-Drama Discipline, and author of The Bottom Line for Baby


"The 5 Principles of Parenting is the one book parents can turn to for every stage of development. Dr. Aliza Pressman masterfully translates the science into the practical realities of being a parent and provides clear strategies every parent can use." --Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk To Someone and co-host of the "Dear Therapists" podcast

"A great deal of parenting advice is based on opinion instead of evidence. As a developmental psychologist, Aliza Pressman is on a mission to change that. In this book, she doesn't just distill the lessons from the data--she makes them useful. It's a practical guide to raising better humans." --Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again, and host of the podcast Re: Thinking

"Brimming with warmth and wisdom and free from fads and fear, this book belongs in the hands of everyone who cares for or about children." --Lisa Damour, PhD, author of Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

"Dr. Aliza Pressman is in the thick of it when it comes to parenting... parenting is a topic that you could truly talk about forever." --Emma Chamberlain, podcast host of Anything Goes

"Dr. Aliza Pressman's excellent (and long anticipated) book, The Five Principles of Parenting, reflects her warmth, humor, depth of knowledge and no nonsense approach to raising good humans (see what I did there?). I finished this book feeling more competent, empowered, and calm--how often can you say that when thinking about parenting? I love this book!" --Jennifer Garner

"Imagine receiving practical wisdom based on cutting edge, solid science about how you can raise your kids to be thoughtful, emotionally balanced, compassionate and engaged citizens of the world. That's what you have here in Aliza Pressman's magnificent guide. This comprehensive, research informed book will be something to turn to again and again in the privilege and journey of being a parent. Enjoy!" -- Daniel Siegel, MD New York Times bestselling co-author, Parenting from the Inside Out; The Whole Brain Child and The Power of Showing Up; Author, Brainstorm, Aware, and The Developing Mind

"Parenting is not one-size-fits-all. What Aliza does is come in and teach us how to individually handle how we raise children as well as ourselves. Her process is empowering and based not just on one person's opinion. It seems impossible for one human to know so much research and yet her hard work has paid off for all of us. She lacks judgment and helps us all quiet the inner voices of doubt and gets us all into problem solution mode. I simply don't know what I would do without her wisdom. She is my go-to for how we all, RAISE GOOD HUMANS, including ourselves!!" --Drew Barrymore

"The book provides practical advice for getting through the toughest parts of parenting" --Emily Oster, author of Cribsheet