Raising a Kid Who Can

It's time to parent smarter, not harder. Filled with scientifically based and eminently actionable advice and strategies, Raising a Kid Who Can boils down the ten essential things that every child needs to thrive so that parents can stop drowning in information and get to the business of raising healthier, happier humans.

Written by three mental health professionals who work with families, organized for easy skimming, and designed to be useful at any stage in a child's life, the book devotes one short, impactful chapter per principle, including Resilience, Attention and Self-Control, Psychological Flexibility, Self-Motivation, Compassion and Gratitude.

The result is a new approach to a parenting guide, one that takes a wholistic approach to nurturing a child's development and help parents get right to the information they need, when they need it.

“A must-read for parents who are trying to prepare their children to thrive in a world that’s changing at breathtaking speed.” —William Stixrud, PhD, neuropsychologist and coauthor of The Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say?

“Wow! Grounded in the latest science and chock-full of practices that REALLY work, here is a book parents can turn to, again and again, whether their children are tots, teens, or young adults.” —Ned Johnson, coauthor of The Self-Driven Child and What Do You Say?

“Rooted in the neuroscience and practical wisdom that shows us what truly matters for kids—balance, connection, compassion, resilience. It’s a truly great addition to the world of parenting books.” —Tina Payne Bryson, LCSW, PhD, coauthor of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline, and author of The Bottom Line for Baby

“This book is the book I’ve been waiting for . . . an incredibly valuable resource for parents and mental health professionals.” —Alix Spiegel, co-creator of Invisibilia, producer of This American Life, and former science reporter for NPR

“Exactly the road map parents need to navigate the challenges of parenting in the modern era.” —Eli R. Lebowitz, PhD, Director, Program for Anxiety Disorders, Yale School of Medicine Child Study Center, and author of Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD

“I used to say there weren’t any manuals for how to parent—until now. An entertaining and evidence-based guide to parenting in today’s fast-paced, increasingly tech-saturated, mind-bogglingly complex, and busy wilderness.” —Lisa Coyne, PhD, assistant professor of psychology, Harvard Medical School, and CEO, New England Center for OCD and Anxiety

“Conveys the critical topics of struggle and resilience in a genuinely accessible language. This book is a true golden nugget, and I wish every parent could read it.” —Maria Svernell, clinical psychologist, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

“Everything about this book speaks to any parent looking for sound, easy-to-read, science-based advice for raising emotionally healthy and resilient children.” —Michael Houston, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, George Washington University Medical Center

“This book is an excellent resource that will empower parents to talk their kids through challenging situations while giving them the autonomy they need to find solutions that work for them.” —Angela Fletcher, PsyD, pediatric psychologist, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC

“Empathic, encouraging, and accessible . . . [this book] provides a broader framework for equipping our children with the tools they need to thrive.” —Matthew Biel, MD, MSc, professor and chief of child and adolescent psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical Center

“Compassionate, clear, knowledgeable, and easily accessible, this book . . . offers a real-life perspective on how to not only cope but also thrive as a family.” —Dr. Holly Dwyer Hall, DPsych, child and adolescent psychotherapist, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

“Distills the best science, developmental principles, and therapeutic technique into a readable and relatable guidebook.” —Lois W. Choi-Kain, MD, MEd, Director, Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute, assistant professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

“Crafted by caring, charismatic coaches, it is a must-have! The book is REALLY good. I am sure it will be cited for decades to come.” —Alan J. Zametkin, MD, academic researcher specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry at National Institute of Mental Health (retired) and private practice, Bethesda, MD (current)
"It’s a valuable guide for helping kids help themselves."—Publishers Weekly
"With insightful analysis and amusing anecdotes, McCarthy, Tedesco, and Weaver have written an accessible and well-researched book that gives parents extra guidance on child rearing by offering actionable tips."—Booklist
"It’s a valuable guide for helping kids help themselves."—Publishers Weekly
“With insightful analysis and amusing anecdotes, McCarthy, Tedesco, and Weaver have written an accessible and well-researched book that gives parents extra guidance on child rearing by offering actionable tips.”—Library Journal

Catherine McCarthy, MD, is a Duke-trained child and adolescent psychiatrist with nearly 25 years of clinical experience. In addition to being the keynote speaker for several major conferences, she lectures regularly to parents and students in nearly every school system, both public and private, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Heather Tedesco, PhD, is a licensed Applied Psychologist with a Ph.D. in Social Psychology.? She has a private practice in McLean, Virginia, where she works exclusively with parents to make parenting less stressful, more effective, and more enjoyable. She is the go-to parenting resource for many Washington, DC-area pediatric, psychological testing, and therapy practices.

Jennifer Weaver, LCSW, has been rated as one of the "Best Child Therapists" in the area in Washingtonian magazine. Along with her therapy practice, she also provides workshops and training to mental health professionals, schools (faculty, student, and parent groups), and the larger community. Ms. Weaver is the founder of Helix, a separate, intensive program for kids to help prevent the need for inpatient or residential treatment, set to open this fall. This program has the direct support of colleagues and mentors at McLean Hospital in Boston, Anna Freud Centre in London, and Yale Child Study Center in New Haven.

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