This book serves a guide for parents of children who are presenting as hurt, angry, rejecting, and distant (HARD). First, I like the acronym because it's a not-so-subtle reminder that underneath a child's behaviors are some very real and tender feelings as well as a need to feel safe and secure. With that, the basic concepts of building attachment with a child are explained here.

I'm well into the parenting game, but the first chapters feel like the general parenting manual I never had. "Reflections" and "Considerations" sections help to break up the reading and draw your attention to really interact with the information. Moving on, strategies are shared to instill four parenting values that will help to prevent your child from getting hurt, angry, rejecting, and distant - forgiveness, compassion, integrity, and critical thinking. There are concrete strategies in here on how to build a positive and respectful relationship with your child. With the knowledge that everything can go sideways, there's also guidance for emotional regulation (ahem, both parents' and child's).

For the latter part of the book, there's a rather monumental shift that covers the landscape of strained or estranged parent-child relations. While my family is intact, I found this section incredibly helpful to help me process how I might approach and support complicated relationships as an adult.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley and the publishers.

Teaches parents a healthy way for them and their to communicate and much more. Incomplete, and filled with errors but those will be fixed before publishing hopefully. I believe the title could be a very good tool for parents of kids of all ages.

Thanks Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest reivew!

I think this book will be helpful for parents who are just starting to do research into this topic, I felt much of this book was very beginner friendly. It was not super helpful for me personally, it was a little too surface level for me.