Birth to Dorm: A Parent’s Guide to Growing Focus, Confidence, and Connection—One Stage at a Time
 
Parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but Birth to Dorm comes pretty close. This essential handbook helps parents nurture focus, flexibility, independence, and trust from their child’s first steps to their first semester away from home.
 
Written with warmth, humor, and the grounded insight of an educator and leadership coach, Birth to Dorm bridges research and real life. Each chapter guides parents through the core building blocks of child development—from executive function and early reading to resilience, allyship, and the “parent as coach” mindset—offering simple, evidence-based strategies you can actually use in everyday moments.
Inside you’ll find:
Clear, stage-by-stage guidance for building your child’s confidence and independence
Real-life examples that show what coaching—not controlling—looks like at home
Reflection prompts to help you parent with intention and joy
Curated resources from trusted experts including the Harvard Center on the Developing Child
 
Whether you’re soothing a toddler tantrum, navigating middle school drama, or preparing to send your teen off to college, Birth to Dorm is your companion for raising capable, connected, and resilient humans—without losing your sense of humor (or yourself) along the way.