The Parenting Paradox is Dr Jenny Brown’s latest book, published by Bloomsbury in 2026. Drawing on Bowen family systems theory, Brown argues that the more anxiously parents hover and fix, the less resilient their kids become — the paradox of the title. It’s less a list of techniques and more a framework for understanding how anxiety spreads through a family, parent to child and back again.

For dads specifically, it’s a useful counterweight to the “more involvement is always better” message — Brown makes the case that your own calm, and your own personal growth, often does more for your kids than another intervention. Recommended if you want the theory behind why staying grounded works, not just the tips.