How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids and Be OK with It - Real Tips & Strategies for Parents of Today’s Gen Z Kids

Helicopter parent, tiger parent . . . lawnmower parent?
Generation Z has a reputation of entitlement, but this attitude is often fostered by parents who mow down every obstacle in their child's path, never letting them fail. In How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids and Be OK with It, humorist Lisa Sugarman takes her humanistic approach to parenting Gen Z kids and tells it like it is. Sugarman reminds parents that it's okay (and beneficial) for children to confront obstacles, it's okay if your children are not perfect, and it's okay to say "No." The goal is not to raise perfect children; the goal is to raise kind, responsible adults, and it's a process.
How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids reminds the reader that mistakes and problems lead to lessons. Fixating on raising the smartest, fastest, most successful child will never result in a happy child (or a happy parent). With healthy doses of humor and reality, Lisa Sugarman reminds us that our kids were never meant to be perfect, and perfectly imperfect kids can become wonderful, well-rounded adults if we just allow them to grow.

About the author

Lisa Sugarman is an author and three-time survivor of suicide loss. A passionate mental health advocate, she serves as a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project and as a storyteller with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where she uses her lived experience to help others find healing through connection and community.
She's the Founder of The HelpHUB(TM), the most inclusive and comprehensive free online destination for mental health resources, tools, treatment options, crisis hotlines, and content designed to support the diverse needs of every community. Lisa is the author of Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss (2026), How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids and Be OK With It (2019), Untying Parent Anxiety (2017), and LIFE: It Is What It Is (2014). She also cohosts The Survivors Podcast, a show that provides candid conversations and real stories of survival for anyone impacted by suicide or mental illness.
Lisa is also a facilitator for Safe Place, a virtual support group for survivors of suicide loss hosted by Samaritans Southcoast in Boston, where she also serves as a board member. She is a contributor to the Mental Health Television Network (MHTN), and her writing has appeared in Calmerry, Healthline Parenthood, Grown & Flown, TODAY Parents, Thrive Global, LittleThings, The Washington Post, and Psychology Today. A former nationally syndicated columnist, Lisa continues to write widely on topics of suicide, grief & loss, and mental health and wellness. Lisa lives and writes just north of Boston. Learn more at TheHelpHUB.co.

Summary

Helicopter parent, tiger parent . . . lawnmower parent? 
Generation Z has a reputation of entitlement, but this attitude is often fostered by parents who mow down every obstacle in their child's path, never letting them fail. In How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids and Be OK with It, humorist Lisa Sugarman takes her humanistic approach to parenting Gen Z kids and tells it like it is. Sugarman reminds parents that it's okay (and beneficial) for children to confront obstacles, it's okay if your children are not perfect, and it's okay to say "No." The goal is not to raise perfect children; the goal is to raise kind, responsible adults, and it's a process.
How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids reminds the reader that mistakes and problems lead to lessons. Fixating on raising the smartest, fastest, most successful child will never result in a happy child (or a happy parent). With healthy doses of humor and reality, Lisa Sugarman reminds us that our kids were never meant to be perfect, and perfectly imperfect kids can become wonderful, well-rounded adults if we just allow them to grow.

Additional text

"Lisa Sugarman is the mom friend you need in your life immediately! I’m so grateful to have Lisa’s juicy nuggets of wisdom, calm voice of positivity, and practical tools for navigating mom life in my bag of parenting tricks. She gives permission for the inevitable screw-ups in parenting and gently guides you through it. There are so many gems in this book that my highlighter got a workout! This book will stay close by, and I’ll reference it anytime my attitude needs a tune up."
- Maria Sansone, Emmy Award-Winning television host of Good Day LA, mom of two

“I read a ton of parenting books as I have a parenting coaching practice and podcast, and this book is a great one. How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids (and Be OK with It) has tons of practical tips and advice combined with real-world examples and stories. I love how the chapters are presented and a licensed clinical social worker weighs in on all the practical tips as well. It is well written and entertaining to read. I had one of the authors on my podcast, and she was so knowledgeable and conversational, just like the book.”
—Dr. Kimberly Swales, host of Connecting with Dr. Kim Swales and marriage, parenting, career, and life coach
"Sugarman and Gansenberg both nail it on the important issues they place on parenting. I am familiar with Gen Z kids, and the advice these women provide is very relevant and should be studied nd applied every day to help our newest generation of children and parents to raise self-sufficient kids that will contribute to society and figure it (life) out along the way."
- Manhattan Book Review
"Lisa recognizes the power of harnessing relatable resources to help moms and dads find parenting success. How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids and Be OK With It is a fresh and seriously unique perspective into modern parenting. An easy and delightful read that makes any parent feel like it's ok to be perfectly imperfect."
- Amanda Ducach, Founder& CEO of SocialMama, the networking app for moms

Product details

• Authors: Debra Fox Gansenberg, Lisa Sugarman
• Assisted by: Arief Kriembonga (Illustration)
• Publisher: Workman
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.09.2019
• EAN: 9781641701617
• ISBN: 978-1-64170-161-7
• No. of pages: 240
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 228 mm x 16 mm
• Weight: 340 g
• Assisted by: Debra Fox Gansenberg
• Subjects: Guides > Self-help, everyday life > Family; Advice on parenting, Parenting: advice and issues