How to Be a Happier Parent

Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute

By: KJ Dell'Antonia

Narrated by: KJ Dell'Antonia

An encouraging guide to helping parents find more happiness in their day-to-day family life, from the former lead editor of the New York Times' Motherlode blog.

In all the writing and reporting KJ Dell'Antonia has done on families over the years, one topic keeps coming up again and again: parents crave a greater sense of happiness in their daily lives. In this optimistic, solution-packed book, KJ asks: How can we change our family life so that it is full of the joy we'd always hoped for?

Drawing from the latest research and interviews with families, KJ discovers that it's possible to do more by doing less, and make our family life a refuge and pleasure, rather than another stress point in a hectic day. She focuses on nine common problem spots that cause parents the most grief, explores why they are hard, and offers small, doable, sometimes surprising steps you can take to make them better.

Whether it's getting everyone out the door on time in the morning or making sure chores and homework get done without another battle, How to Be a Happier Parent shows that having a family isn't just about raising great kids and churning them out at destination: success. It's about experiencing joy - real joy, the kind you look back on, look forward to, and live for - along the way.

©2018 KJ Dell'Antonia (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"KJ Dell'Antonia has been at the center of the conversation about modern parenting for over a decade. During that time, she's become an astute, experienced, sympathetic, and knowledgeable companion and provocateur. Also, a great writer. All of those qualities are on display here. How to Be a Happier Parent is sure to help many harried moms and dads find more joy in the everyday chaos of their lives." (Bruce Feiler, author of the New York Times best seller The Secrets of Happy Families)

“Finally! A parenting book not about fine-tuning your child for some distant (and questionable) marker of success, but a book that focuses on the real task of parenting - creating a safe, warm, loving, and yes, happy family.” (Madeline Levine, PhD, author of the New York Times best sellers The Price of Privilege and Teach Your Children Well)

“An ideal blend of humble confessions, blunt reckonings, and relatable humor, offered with zero judgment and plenty of empathy. As this wise expert comes to feel like a close friend, we trust that we, too, can be far happier than we’d realized.” (Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of the New York Times best seller How to Raise an Adult)

This book has been an absolute gift to me

KJ is a mom of four, with one adopted daughter and 3 biological children, just like myself. That in itself made me feel like I had found a friend who’s been a little farther down the trail I’m on who could throw me a little hope.

There was not a single topic in family life addressed in this book that did not resonate with me. As a type A person sharing her life with four little hurricanes, I often feel buried by the unpleasantness instead of reveling in the beauty of this season of family life-which I fully chose and want to enjoy! The mantras and tips have given me much needed shift in perspective when a situation starts to trigger me.

So thankful to have read/heard this book!!!!

Happier Parenting

Like a chat over coffee with that mom from baseball practice who always seems to have it all together - but in an approachable rather than off putting way. I love the author’s podcast, #AmWriting With Jess and KJ, so I knew I wanted to listen to rather than read her book. Did not disappoint!

wonderful help for parents who want to be happy

A great resource. Very well descriptive examples and scenarios. The discipline chapter was most helpful.

great read

love all the tips and tricks to help me be a better mom. I will definitely listen to this again as a reminder.

Good advice, but pretty common sense

I really wanted to love this book. I liked the anecdotal stories, and it did give some parenting tips that I know I will begin to use now and as my kids get older. But a lot of it was pretty common sense at least to me. I've never met any parent or adult who hasn't heard or tried any of the tips mentioned. But the overall message is a good one, to find joy in the every day things. Take the minor set back things less serious.

A good read

This book is full of good advice and opinion that can be useful in everyday lives. It may give another perspective on the way you parent or may reaffirm what you already do. I felt proud of myself when I would hear that other Moms do some of the things that I do. It made me feel like I'm not alone. While dual income parents may find this helpful, I don't believe this is specifically written for the working parent as other reviews have mentioned. Stay at home parents may find this book useful as well.

Gives alot of examples.

I like it becaus it doesn't discriminate you. it gives you many options and example

good job!

I took a lot of suggestions. I learned also I am not such a bad mother . thanks.

helpful tips

I found this helpful. I've started to work on less micromanaging the kids and choosing my battles. I've become more relaxed and just let the kids be kids. I still yell and lose my cool but I feel it has lessoned some.

Best parenting book I’ve read so far

Great ideas , will look back to this book as my son grows up. Happiness can vary based on mood but if you work at it you can control it, somewhat stressful concept but whatever works that just doesn’t make me happy though