7-Stage Parenting

A toddler and a teenager need very different parents, yet it is not always clear what a child needs at a given age. According to the author, the same developmental pattern appears in children of every culture, gender and temperament. Freeman argues that this pattern, grounded in a well-established psychological theory, offers a guide to which approaches will work best at each stage, while still leaving room for each child's individuality.

The book is meant to help parents feel more at ease with the changes their children go through, showing that many of them are expected and part of healthy growth, which can ease stress and uncertainty. It encourages mothers, fathers and stepparents to grow in their roles as their children grow, and to trust their own instincts above the opinions and theories of others.

Freeman wrote the book to offer the understanding he wished he had during his own years of parenting. He also says it helped him see his own parents differently and understand more about his own development.