by Adam Carolla
First published 2016
Adam Carolla believes modern parents are raising a generation of spoiled softies. Drawing from his own difficult childhood as a blueprint for what builds character, he argues that today's helicopter parenting creates kids who never learn independence. Carolla takes aim at parents who provide iPads, massive TVs, expensive dolls, and climate controlled minivans, then wonder why their children seem ungrateful and helpless. He offers blunt guidance on the topics that matter most to growing kids: navigating relationships, handling alcohol and drugs, making major purchases like homes and cars, surviving puberty, and avoiding becoming terrible people. Throughout, Carolla uses his experience as a father to two children who largely ignore his wisdom, turning his parental frustrations into lessons for other adults. His central message cuts through parenting anxiety with sharp humor: if you want kids who can function as adults, stop doing everything for them and let them struggle occasionally.
Genres: family, non-fiction, comedy, 21st-century
Vibes: humorous, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: humor, personal-growth
Audio CD · HarperAudio