The Parenting Paradox

Loving Our Children by Giving Them Space to Grow

By Dr Jenny Brown

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About the book

This is a book Dr. Jenny Brown has been working on—at least in her head—for many years. It brings together her extensive clinical, research, and personal experience in parenting, alongside insight into the many confusing cultural messages that fuel today’s high levels of family stress.

Written for both parents and the professionals who support them, The Parenting Paradox offers a grounded, compassionate framework for navigating family life with greater calm and confidence.

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A calmer way to understand parenting in an anxious age.

Parenting today often feels more intense than it needs to be. Many parents care deeply about their children, yet find themselves caught in cycles of worry, over-involvement, and self-doubt. The Parenting Paradox explores the forces that fuel this—and how these patterns are both predictable and changeable.

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Reveals a surprisingly clear path to parents’ hope and confidence?

“You love your child so much, but they seem to be suffering.
What more can you do? Simple: adjust what you can adjust—you.”
— Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow, author of Free-Range Kids

Grounded in Bowen family systems theory, the book shows how anxiety moves through families and how parents can grow themselves in ways that gradually shift family relationships.

The Parenting Paradox provides a map for stepping out of futile cycles and leading family life with greater steadiness and clarity.

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Who this book is for:

• Parents feeling overwhelmed, worried, or unsure
• Parents wanting to support their children without over-functioning
• Therapists, educators, and professionals who work with families
• Anyone seeking a calmer, more thoughtful approach to family relationships

What experts are saying:

• “A rare, refreshing antidote to intensive parenting culture… a calm, steady path toward clarity, confidence, and genuine connection at home.” — Bryana Kappadakunnel, author of Parent Yourself First
• “The Parenting Paradox equips parents to dial back anxiety, stay grounded, and thoughtfully make space for their kids to grow.” — Darby Saxbe, PhD, Professor of psychology at the University of Southern California and author of Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood
• “An important book for parents—and for all who work with them… guidance that has been largely missing from the conversation.” — Peter N. Stearns, co-author of The American Child: The Transformation of Childhood Since World War II, professor emeritus at George Mason University
• “When parents make themselves the project, everyone is freed up to be more responsible for themselves.” — Kathleen Smith, PhD, author of True to You and Everything Isn’t Terrible

Get the book

Published by Bloomsbury
👉 Available through major booksellers
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