Try free for 30 days

  • Parenting Outside the Lines

  • Forget the Rules, Tap into Your Wisdom, and Connect with Your Child
  • By: Meghan Leahy
  • Narrated by: Meghan Leahy
  • Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Parenting Outside the Lines cover art

Parenting Outside the Lines

By: Meghan Leahy
Narrated by: Meghan Leahy
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

No-nonsense, sanity-saving insights from the Washington Post on Parenting columnist - for anyone who's drowning in parental pressure and advice that doesn't work.

Ever feel overwhelmed by the stress and perfectionism of our overparenting culture - and at the same time, still look for solutions to ease the struggles of everyday family life? Parenting coach and Washington Post columnist Meghan Leahy feels your pain. Like her clients and readers, she grew weary of the endless "shoulds" of modern parenting - along with the simplistic rules and advice that often hurt more than help.

Filled with insights based on child development and hard-won lessons in the trenches, this honest guide presents a new approach, offering permission to practice imperfect parenting with a strong dose of common sense, empathy, and laughter. You'll gain perspective on trusting your gut, picking your battles, and when to question what's "normal" (as opposed to what works best for your child).

Forget impossible standards and dogma, and serving organic salmon to four-year-olds. Forget helicopters, tiger moms, and being "mindful" in the middle of a meltdown (your child's or your own). Instead, discover relatable insights for staying connected to your child and true to the parent you want to be (and already are).

©2020 Meghan Leahy (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“The unique structure of this wonderful parenting guide brilliantly simulates a live coaching session. Leahy, the expert, casts competing parenting theories aside in favor of empowering the reader to draw upon our intuition and common sense. She frees us from our fears by confessing to the challenges she herself has faced in raising her own kids. She reassures us that by connecting deeply to our own selves, we can show up more meaningfully and effectively with our kids. The reader emerges feeling supported, and with a journal of deep insight about ourselves. Liberating, hilarious, tender, frank, and instructive, this book is a comforting companion.” (Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of How to Raise an Adult)

"What do parents need now more than ever? The tools to know and trust our intuition, manage the discomfort of uncertainty, and connect in ways that inspire and don’t repel our kids. Parenting Outside the Lines shows us that we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” (Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out and Enough As She Is)

“In this great read, Leahy encourages parents to stop worrying about whether they’re doing parenting “right” and to instead tap into their own parenting intuition and enjoy building a loving connection with their children. Great insight in fourteen practical (and funny!) chapters.” (Susan Stiffelman, author of Parenting Without Power Struggles)

What listeners say about Parenting Outside the Lines

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.