I became a parent in 2009, and this book came out in 2011. At that point, I was way too deep in the weeds to even know it existed. But if I could go back and hand myself one parenting book at the beginning, I think it would be this one. When I started parenting, I think I assumed my kids would be a lot like me and I would just...get them. Actually, I have one of those, and it’s still not that easy. What I love about The Whole-Brain Child is that understanding what’s happening in your child’s brain changes the way you interpret their behavior. It makes it much easier to respond with connection instead of frustration. There are 12 Whole-Brain strategies, but one of my favorites as a parent coach is #11: Increase the Family Fun Factor. Our lives get incredibly busy, and I still have to stop and ask myself, When was the last time we actually had fun together? I also love that the book breaks ideas down by ages and stages, so parents can actually use it as their kids grow.