As a mom of four and a beloved parenting writer at the New York Times, KJ Dell’Antonia found herself asking the question that plagues most modern parents at some point in our lives: Why does this have to suck so much? In her hopeful, solution-packed book, HOW TO BE A HAPPIER PARENT, KJ draws on interviews and research, including her own, to offer not just an answer to that question (it’s not all our fault), but ideas parents can use to shift their family lives away from the stress and towards the joy we hoped we’d find. Unlike so many anxiety-inducing parenting books on the market, HOW TO BE A HAPPIER PARENT does not demand that parents add more to their already busy lives. Instead, it focuses on improving problem spots and savoring the lovely modern lives we already live.

KJ Dell’Antonia offers parents reassurance about the things they’re getting right and suggests doable changes to improve daily routines. She touches on:

· How parents can fill mornings with more joy

· The guidelines parents can set so that children are more likely to help with chores

· What children can learn from sibling relationships

· How to improve family dinners, kid sports and vacations.

HOW TO BE A HAPPIER PARENT reminds mothers and fathers that a satisfying family life isn’t about hauling kids around and eventually dropping them off at destination: success. It’s about finding happiness—real happiness, the kind you look back on, look forward to, and live for—along the way.