Reviews
“Launching into the teen years without this book in your hands is like taking to the sea in a boat with no rudder.”
Kelly Corrigan, New York Times Bestselling Author of Tell Me More
“An earnest and instructive guide. . . Parents of teens will appreciate the authors' well-reasoned and practical approach.”
“At a time when parents are bombarded with so much contradictory advice about their children's education that it's a wonder they can even breathe (let alone think), The Parent Compass offers counsel that is wise, calm, comprehensive, and most important of all, well-informed. These are experts you can trust.”
William Deresiewicz, New York Times Bestselling Author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life
“The Parent Compass helps parents resist the urge to hover and micromanage, and guides them to reflect deeply on their actions and make important changes to support their teen’s long-term well-being and success. Let The Parent Compass help be your guide to better parenting.”
Dr. Denise Pope, Sr. Lecturer at Stanford University and Co-Founder of Challenge Success
“Great book for parents or anyone interested in empowering young people. As a co-author of the book Unacceptable, I saw the end result of the cutthroat college admissions process, and just how off track people could get. This is the book that could help many parents from going down that road to begin with. Jenn and Cindy couldn't be better guides—they deliver smart and helpful advice, with a huge dose of empathy. They speak as experts, who have been in the trenches, and as parents, and they deliver lots of great anecdotes that make this a very relatable book. It is never preachy or dry—it's like sitting down with your wisest friend, one who wants the best for you and your kid.”
Jennifer Levitz, Co-Author of Unacceptable: Privilege, Deceit, and the Making of the College Admissions Scandal
"It's not easy being a teenager and it's not easy being the parent of one, either. This book provides sound advice for parents trying to help navigate their teen's journey through life."
Midwest Book Review
“This is a terrific road map for anyone working with kids, and I say that as a parent, therapist and school counselor. I appreciate The Parent Compass's approach to raising emotionally healthy, resilient, centered kids who can navigate everything from extracurriculars to family life to college applications without losing sight of what really matters. That goes for parents and caregivers, too, who all too easily can succumb to the ambient pressure we all feel to adequately prepare our children and students to thrive. I appreciate that the authors give concrete suggestions without suggesting that there's any one "right way" to do anything. They recognize that the greater goal is to keep the lines of communication open, enhance our kids' independence and self-awareness, and recognize and focus on their strengths. (All while maintaining a sense of humor!)"
Phyllis Fagell, author of Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond—and How Parents Can Help and licensed clinical professional counselor, certified professional school counselor, and journalist
“I started reading their book over the weekend and I'm pretty sure it's my new parent bible.”
Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Morning News Anchor at KCRA TV/NBC 3 Sacramento and host of Dying to Ask podcast
“Superbly researched with anecdotes that bring parent etiquette to life—a phrase that I just love! Fair warning, expect to have your hands metaphorically "slapped" now and again as it is a necessary part of learning how to best support our teens. Fortunately, this is done in kindness with the insights of how to do better for the overall well-being of your teenager. Follow their advice and you will have a healthy teenager; better yet, ten years from now you'll have a healthy and contributing young adult.”
Dr. Mike Riera, author of Staying Connected to Your Teenager, and Head of School, Brentwood School
“This is the book that every parent needs. The Parent Compass helps us understand how to appropriately engage with our teens and how to parent with more awareness. The pages are brimming with powerful advice about navigating the parenting waters.”
Tiffany Shlain, Author of 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day A Week and Emmy-nominated filmmaker
“It’s hard enough for today’s teens to live in a world where there’s constant pressure from the outside world to knock it out of the park further than everyone else around them, but when parents overstep boundaries by writing their kid’s papers, and start speaking for them, and micromanage their lives into the ground, that’s crossing a line. The Parent Compass is a truly necessary resource that helps keep parents in check when the urge strikes to helicopter and bulldoze and interfere in the parts of our teenage kid’s lives that should be up to them to manage.”
Lisa Sugarman, nationally syndicated columnist, radio show host, speaker, and author of How To Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids And Be Ok With It
“Parenting teenagers is hard work, plain and simple. In an era where common sense seems to have disappeared and our parental anxieties rule the day, The Parent Compass is just what families need to help guide them through the forest of adolescence. The Parent Compass is an excellent tool to reassure parents to trust their instincts and ignore the drop-off line gossip and cocktail party hysteria. The advice it provides will allow all of us to more thoughtfully and lovingly parent our children while still preparing them to be healthy adults who can make it in the world.”
Chris Mazzola, Head of School, The Branson School
“Sometimes the book you need to read lands in your lap at just the right moment. As the parent of a middle schooler and a high school freshman, the college application process is in our near future. My daughter is already starting to pick up on growing pressures and anxieties in her peer group. After reading this book, I feel grounded and prepared to navigate this dynamic time with more confidence and compassion. I'm grateful to have this book in my heart and on my shelf as we begin this journey.”
Jessica Speer, Author of BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? Girls Guide to Happy Friendships
“This is a very timely and important book for parents . . . [and] the landscape is ever changing. The Parent Compass provides great advice and guidance from experts of all types.”
Michael Dennin, Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, University of California at Irvine
“A refreshingly modern and inspirational guide for parents with practical advice to help teenagers make great choices for themselves. Instilling confidence in both parent and teen. A great choice to steer your child in the right direction, without taking the wheel yourself!”
Emily Lauren, Author of Body Positive: A Guide to Loving Your Body
"When you feel like you are in the break down lane, reach for The Parent Compass. . .as it proves to be an amazing tool to have in your tool kit when it comes to raising teenagers! Kids don't come out with instructions and parents don't have a guaranteed manual. This read is an opportunity to learn different ways of navigating parenthood and create a solid toolbox to access as needed through the those trying teen years!"
Debra Gansenberg, MSW, LICSW, licensed psychotherapist, radio show host, and co-author of How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids And Be Okay with It
“A practical, timely resource. I love how the authors focus on making some of the abstract challenges of parenting today more tangible with such practical advice.”
Dr. Kelly Fradin, Pediatrician and author of Parenting in a Pandemic
“Finally—a book that calls out what we know to be true about how overly involved parents can negatively impact a child's development while offering simple to implement practical advice on how to help our children thrive during their teenage years. A must read for any parent who wants an emotionally healthy, confident, independent child!”
Jill Quigley, Principal, Middle & Upper Schools, TVT Community Day School
“A must read in today's world if you have children. I have eight children. I know good advice when I read it. Don't just survive your children's teen years, thrive as a parent and family. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book.”
Mary Potter Kenyon, Author of Called to be Creative: A Guide to Reigniting Your Creativity
“As parents of teens we always ask ourselves, “Am I pushing them too much or not enough?” This book helped me understand how to strike the perfect balance. The Parent Compass is filled with good insights and practical tips. It's the book we need for sane advice in a sometimes insane world.”
Pam Lobley, Author of Why Can’t We Just Play?
"The Parent Compass hits the mark. Navigating parenting today is filled with obstacles that can take you off course and hold you and your tween/teen back. But The Parent Compass helps correct the ship. Its loving and kind guidance gives parents the tools necessary for a healthy future and healthy, happy and fulfilled kids."
Donna Tetreault, national TV parenting journalist, educator, speaker and author of Dear Me: Letters to Myself, For All of My Emotions
“This really is a remarkable book—it strikes a balance between being an involved parent and being a helicopter parent, between a clear on the sidelines parent and everything in the trenches; it saves the day.”
Brian Rogers, Faculty, The Webb Schools of California and author of The Whole of the Moon
“This book offers a refreshing look at current foibles of all involved in the educational process and provides common sense suggestions for better parenting.”
Linda Winrow, High School Teacher and Educator for nearly 50 years
“At a time when our love for our children is being contorted into actions we may no longer recognize as parents this book offers a compassionate but firm users manual for how to navigate some of the most treacherous years of a young person’s life. Parenting is the most difficult role in society today, bar none: the sense of scarcity and abundance of fear have turned us upside down in many ways. The Parent Compass is the guide that will help us to stop snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and bring us back to principles. And when the principles are clear, the decisions are easy.”
Than Healy, Head of School, Menlo School