Parenting from the Inside Out

Drawing upon new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, the authors explore the extent to which our childhood experiences shape the way we parent.

An updated edition of the parenting classic.

Have you ever thought- 'I can't believe I just said to my child the very thing my parents used to say to me! Am I destined to repeat the mistakes of my parents?'

In Parenting from the Inside Out, child psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel and early-childhood expert Mary Hartzell explore how out childhood experiences shape the way we parent. Drawing on stunning new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, they explain how interpersonal relationships affect the development of the brain, and offer a step-by-step approach to forming a deeper understanding of our life stories, which will help us raise compassionate and resilient children.

Combining Siegel's cutting-edge neuroscience research with Hartzell's 30 years of experience as a child-development specialist and parent educator, Parenting from the Inside Out guides us through creating the necessary foundation for secure and loving relationships with our children.

The tenth-anniversary edition includes a new preface by Daniel J. Siegel and incorporates the latest research from the field.


'Daniel J. Siegel and Mary Hartzell have quite deftly managed to translate highly complex neuroscientific and psychological matters into lay strategies for effective parenting. This is truly a must-read book for all parents and those aspiring to become parents.'
-Dr Marilyn B. Benoit, former president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

'This book uniquely pairs the clinical experience of a psychiatrist with the deep wisdom of a nursery school teacher. Together Siegel and Hartzell delicately peel back the many layers of parenting to reveal the pure nature of the relationship at its core.'
-Dr Neal Halfon, MPH, professor of pediatrics at UCLA, and editor of Child Rearing in America

'Parenting from the Inside Out is for anyone committed to a continued and deeper understanding of the human psyche and to looking beyond the presentational self to what is really motivating us. It is applicable to all of our interpersonal relationships, but most especially to our most treasured one- the one with our children.'
-Michelle Pfeiffer