Your kids don't need perfect parents

Much more than parents who always get it right, what children need is authentic, engaged parents who make mistakes but still keep moving forward. In this freeing book, respected therapists and bestselling authors Stephen James and Chip Dodd invite you to let go of perfectionism and micromanaging as you learn to parent from a place of emotional honesty and intimacy. With their help, you'll learn how to

- accept your flaws
- resolve issues from your own childhood
- tune into your feelings and the emotions of your children
- be present with your family through both the good times and the bad

"A radical and compelling book. This brilliant resource will give you a path for joy and rich relationships with your children. You (and your children) will not be the same after reading this book."--Dan B. Allender, PhD, professor of counseling psychology and founding president of The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology; author of Healing the Wounded Heart and How Children Raise Parents

"Stephen James and Chip Dodd have created a safe space for you to grow as a parent--to learn, to laugh, to be honest about your vulnerability and imperfection, and to discover. You will finish this book with more hope, more understanding, and more grace--for both your child and yourself."--Sissy Goff, MEd, LPC-MHSP, director of child and adolescent counseling, Daystar Counseling Ministries; speaker; author of Are My Kids on Track?

"Every beleaguered parent who reads this book is going to let out a massive sigh of relief. Finally, a book that is not telling them what to do and how they are not measuring up. Stephen James and Chip Dodd do a masterful job of defining God's high calling in the life of a parent without adding to their collective sense of regret and guilt for not being 'perfect.'"--Jimmy Myers, PhD, LPC-S, coauthor of Fearless Parenting: How to Raise Faithful Kids in a Secular Culture


Stephen James, MA, LPC-MHSP, NCC, is the founder and executive director of Sage Hill Counseling in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the bestselling author of five books, including Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys.

Chip Dodd, PhD, LPC-MHSP, NCC, is a teacher, trainer, counselor, and the bestselling author of several books, including The Voice of the Heart. He is the founder of the Center for Professional Excellence, now in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.