I’d been recommended this book previously with the explanation of “everyone should read this”, so going into it I didn’t have the best idea what it was about. I really didn’t realise it was entirely a parenting book (lol), but having said that I really did take a lot from it, not only for any potential future children I might have, but also for how I interact in all of my current relationships. 

The book doesn’t just go with some of the more outdated parenting techniques like being authoritarian, or the complete opposite and letting you child have complete freedom, but focuses on working towards a mutual respect and level of understanding. It’s about letting others feel their emotions, you trying to work towards knowing why they are feeling them, helping them to understand them, but maintaining your own boundaries too. 

Something I didn’t really expect to take from this but did was more of an insight into my own behaviours as an adult and potentially where they may have originated from earlier in life. Obviously nothing is concrete and you can’t ‘ruin’ a child with one off occurrences, but it’s interesting to consider this yourself and delve deeper into your own upbringing. 

I really enjoyed and appreciated all of the little stories and anecdotes putting the suggestions and methods into practice, especially showing how people had reacted at the time with how to work towards improving in the future - all without judgement. 

I really took a lot from this having already watched some related content online so I feel that this is just broadening my knowledge in this area even further. When I’m looking to become a parent in the (far) future, I’ll absolutely be returning to this and I really feel that it’s a style of parenting I’d love to put into practice.